Application of carbon nanotubes

APPLICATION OF CARBON NANOTUBES
Due to the unusual and unique properties of CNTs, they find potential applications in the following field.

1. CNTs in storage devices
Carbon nanotubes play an important role in the battery technology, because some charge carriers can be successfully store inside the nanotubes.

Examples
1. CNT in Fuel cells
Hydrogen can be stored in the CNT, which may be used for the development of fuel cells.
2. CNT in Lithium Battery
Lithium atoms act as a very good charge carrier can be stored inside the carbon nanotubes. It has been estimated that one lithium atom can be stored for every six carbon atoms of the CNT and hence can be used in lithium batteries.
2. CNT as protective shields
CNT s are poor transmitters of electromagnetic radiation and hence can be used as light weight shielding materials for protecting an electronic equipment againt electromagnetic radiation.
3. Sensors of gases
The gases like NO2 and NH3 can be detected on the basis of increase in electrical conducitivity of CNTs. When NO2 or NH3 is allowed to flow over CNT s, electrical conductivity is found to increase. This attributed to increase in whole concentration in CNTs due to charge transfer from CNTs to NO2 as the gas molecules bind to the CNTs.
4. Drug deliver vessels
CNTs canbe effectively used inside the body for drug delivery by placing the drugs within the tubes.
5. CNTs in microsocope
CNTs, attached to the tip of scanning probe microscope have been used to image biological and industrial specimens.
6. Reinforcing elements in composites
The composites of aluminium powder mixed with CNTs (5%) posseses a greater tensile strength compared to pure aluminium.
7. Components in integrated memory circuits
The integrated memory circuits, made of nanotube composites with conducting polymers have been found to be effective devices.
8. Quantum wires
The Quantum wires made of metallic carbon nanotubes are found to have electrical conductivity.
9. CNTs in catalysis
Carbon nanotubes serve as efficient catalysts for some chemical reaction.
Examples
(a) Hydrogenation reaction
Nested carbon nanotubes with ruthenium (Ru) metal bonded to the outside have been proved to have a strong catalytic effect in the hydrogenation reaction of cinnamaldehyde (C6H5CH = CHCHO) when compared with the effect of the same metal Ru attached to other carbon substrates.
(b) Other chemical reactions
Some chemical reactions are also been carried out inside the nanotubes.