Carbon nanotubes are rolled up graphene sheets with a quasi-one-dimensional structure of nanometer-scale diameter. In these last twenty years, carbon nanotubes have attracted much attention from physicists, chemists, material scientists, and electronic device engineers, because of their excellent structural, electronic, optical, chemical and mechanical properties. More recently, demand for innovative industrial applications of carbon nanotubes is increasing. This book covers recent research topics regarding syntheses techniques of carbon nanotubes and nanotube-based composites, and their applications. The chapters in this book will be helpful to many students, engineers and researchers working in the field of carbon nanotubes.
Carbon nanotubes have been explored in light-harvesting and photovoltaic devices because of their unique optoelectronic properties. This chapter provides a brief description of the optoelectronic properties of carbon nanotubes, particularly single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), and their implication in various solar cell applications including donor–acceptor solar cells, polymer solar cells, and dye-sensitized solar cells, where carbon nanotubes are utilized as photoactive materials. Carbon-nanotube-based electrodes in photovoltaic devices are also introduced. Carbon-nanotube-based light-harvesting devices are reviewed in terms of fabrication and material processing as well as performance. Finally, advanced emerging methods and the future outlook for carbon-nanotube-based solar cells are discussed.
This book shows the recent advances of the applications of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), in particular, the polymer functionalized carbon nanotubes. It also includes a comprehensive description of carbon nanotubes' preparation, properties, and characterization. Therefore, we have attempted to provide detailed information about the polymer-carbon nanotube composites. With regard to the unique structure and properties of carbon nanotubes, a series of important findings have been reported. The unique properties of carbon nanotubes, including thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties, after polymer functionalization have been documented in detail. This book comprises 18 chapters. The chapters include different applications of polymer functionalization CNTs, e.g. photovoltaic, biomedical, drug delivery, gene delivery, stem cell therapy, thermal therapy, biological detection and imaging, electroanalytical, energy, supercapacitor, and gas sensor applications.
Written by the most prominent experts and pioneers in the field, this ready reference combines fundamental research, recent breakthroughs and real-life applications in one well-organized treatise. As such, both newcomers and established researchers will find here a wide range of current methods for producing and characterizing carbon nanotubes using imaging as well as spectroscopic techniques. One major part of this thorough overview is devoted to the controlled chemical functionalization of carbon nanotubes, covering intriguing applications in photovoltaics, organic electronics and materials design. The latest research on novel carbon-derived structures, such as graphene, nanoonions and carbon pea pods, round off the book.
This book comprehensively reviews recent and emerging applications of carbon nanotubes and graphene materials in a wide range of sectors. Detailed applications include structural materials, ballistic materials, energy storage and conversion, batteries, supercapacitors, smart sensors, environmental protection, nanoelectronics, optoelectronic and photovoltaics, thermoelectric, and conducting wires. It further covers human and structural health monitoring, and thermal management applications. Key selling features: Exclusively takes an application-oriented approach to cover emerging areas in carbon nanotubes and graphene Covers fundamental and applied knowledge related to carbon nanomaterials Includes advanced applications like human and structural health monitoring, smart sensors, ballistic protection and so forth Discusses novel applications such as thermoelectrics along with environmental protection related application Explores aspects of energy storage, generation and conversion including batteries, supercapacitors, and photovoltaics This book is aimed at graduate students and researchers in electrical, nanomaterials, chemistry, and other related areas.
Materials development has reached a point where it is difficult for a single material to satisfy the needs of sophisticated applications in the modern world. Nanocomposite films and coatings achieve much more than the simple addition of the constitutents OCo the law of summation fails to work in the nano-world. This book encompasses three major parts of the development of nanocomposite films and coatings: the first focuses on processing and properties, the second concentrates on mechanical performance, and the third deals with functional performance, including wide application areas ranging from mechanical cutting to solar energy and from electronics to medicine. Sample Chapter(s). Chapter 1: Magnetron Sputtered Hard and Yet Tough Nanocomposite Coatings With Case Studies: Nanocrystalline Tin Embedded in Amorphous SiNx (187 KB). Contents: Magnetron Sputtered Hard and Yet Tough Nanocomposite Coatings with Case Studies: Nanocrystalline TiN Embedded in Amorphous SiN x (S Zhang et al.); Magnetron Sputtered Hard and Yet Tough Nanocomposite Coatings with Case Studies: Nanocrystalline TiC Embedded in Amorphous Carbon (S Zhang et al.); Properties of Chemical Vapor Deposited Nanocrystalline Diamond and Nanodiamond/Amorphous Carbon Composite Films (S C Tjong); Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of Nanocrystalline Diamond Films (Z-Q Xu & A Kumar); Properties of Hard Nanocomposite Thin Films (J Musil); Nanostructured, Multifunctional Tribological Coatings (J J Moore et al.); Nanocomposite Thin Films for Solar Energy Conversion (Y-B Yin); Application of Silicon Nanocrystal in Non-Volatile Memory Devices (T P Chen); Nanocrystalline Silicon Films for Thin Film Transistor and Optoelectronic Applications (Y-J Choi et al.); Amorphous and Nanocomposite Diamond-Like Carbon Coatings for Biomedical Applications (T I T Okpalugo et al.); Nanocoatings for Orthopaedic and Dental Application (W-Q Yan). Readership: Undergraduates, postgraduates, researchers, scientists, college and university professors, research professionals, technology investors and developers, research enterprises, R&D research laboratories, academic and research libraries."
This book provides a complete overview of the field of carbon nanotube electronics. It covers materials and physical properties, synthesis and fabrication processes, devices and circuits, modeling, and finally novel applications of nanotube-based electronics. The book introduces fundamental device physics and circuit concepts of 1-D electronics. At the same time it provides specific examples of the state-of-the-art nanotube devices.
Offers an Interdisciplinary approach to the engineering of functional materials for efficient solar cell technology Written by a collection of experts in the field of solar cell technology, this book focuses on the engineering of a variety of functional materials for improving photoanode efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The first two chapters describe operation principles of DSSC, charge transfer dynamics, as well as challenges and solutions for improving DSSCs. The remaining chapters focus on interfacial engineering of functional materials at the photoanode surface to create greater output efficiency. Interfacial Engineering in Functional Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells begins by introducing readers to the history, configuration, components, and working principles of DSSC It then goes on to cover both nanoarchitectures and light scattering materials as photoanode. Function of compact (blocking) layer in the photoanode and of TiCl4 post-treatment in the photoanode are examined at next. Next two chapters look at photoanode function of doped semiconductors and binary semiconductor metal oxides. Other chapters consider nanocomposites, namely, plasmonic nanocomposites, carbon nanotube based nanocomposites, graphene based nanocomposites, and graphite carbon nitride based nanocompositesas photoanodes. The book: Provides comprehensive coverage of the fundamentals through the applications of DSSC Encompasses topics on various functional materials for DSSC technology Focuses on the novel design and application of materials in DSSC, to develop more efficient renewable energy sources Is useful for material scientists, engineers, physicists, and chemists interested in functional materials for the design of efficient solar cells Interfacial Engineering in Functional Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells will be of great benefit to graduate students, researchers and engineers, who work in the multi-disciplinary areas of material science, engineering, physics, and chemistry.
This Handbook covers the fundamentals of carbon nanotubes (CNT), their composites with different polymeric materials (both natural and synthetic) and their potential advanced applications. Three different parts dedicated to each of these aspects are provided, with chapters written by worldwide experts in the field. It provides in-depth information about this material serving as a reference book for a broad range of scientists, industrial practitioners, graduate and undergraduate students, and other professionals in the fields of polymer science and engineering, materials science, surface science, bioengineering and chemical engineering. Part 1 comprises 22 chapters covering early stages of the development of CNT, synthesis techniques, growth mechanism, the physics and chemistry of CNT, various innovative characterization techniques, the need of functionalization and different types of functionalization methods as well as the different properties of CNT. A full chapter is devoted to theory and simulation aspects. Moreover, it pursues a significant amount of work on life cycle analysis of CNT and toxicity aspects. Part 2 covers CNT-based polymer nanocomposites in approximately 23 chapters. It starts with a short introduction about polymer nanocomposites with special emphasis on CNT-based polymer nanocomposites, different manufacturing techniques as well as critical issues concerning CNT-based polymer nanocomposites. The text deeply reviews various classes of polymers like thermoset, elastomer, latex, amorphous thermoplastic, crystalline thermoplastic and polymer fibers used to prepare CNT based polymer composites. It provides detailed awareness about the characterization of polymer composites. The morphological, rheological, mechanical, viscoelastic, thermal, electrical, electromagnetic shielding properties are discussed in detail. A chapter dedicated to the simulation and multiscale modelling of polymer nanocomposites is an additional attraction of this part of the Handbook. Part 3 covers various potential applications of CNT in approximately 27 chapters. It focuses on individual applications of CNT including mechanical applications, energy conversion and storage applications, fuel cells and water splitting, solar cells and photovoltaics, sensing applications, nanofluidics, nanoelectronics and microelectronic devices, nano-optics, nanophotonics and nano-optoelectronics, non-linear optical applications, piezo electric applications, agriculture applications, biomedical applications, thermal materials, environmental remediation applications, anti-microbial and antibacterial properties and other miscellaneous applications and multi-functional applications of CNT based polymer nanocomposites. One chapter is fully focussed on carbon nanotube research developments: published papers and patents. Risks associated with carbon nanotubes and competitive analysis of carbon nanotubes with other carbon allotropes are also addressed in this Handbook.
Industrial Applications of Carbon Nanotubes covers the current applications of carbon nanotubes in various industry sectors, from the military to visual display products, and energy harvesting and storage. It also assesses the opportunities and challenges for increased commercialization and manufacturing of carbon nanotubes in the years ahead. Real-life case studies illustrate how carbon nanotubes are used in each industry sector covered, providing a valuable resource for scientists and engineers who are involved and/or interested in carbon nanotubes in both academia and industry. The book serves as a comprehensive guide to the varied uses of carbon nanotubes for specialists in many related fields, including chemistry, physics, biology, and textiles. - Explains how carbon nanotubes can be used to improve the efficiency and performance of industrial products - Includes real-life case studies to illustrate how carbon nanotubes have been successfully employed - Explores how carbon nanotubes could be mass-manufactured in the future, and outlines the challenges that need to be overcome