Short-length Nanostructured Carbons: Cups, Rings and Tubes

NSF Grant Number: EEC-0425826
PI(s): Y. Jung and L. Menon
Institutions: Northeastern University

Objective: The goals of the research were to fabricate novel graphitic nanostructures having significantly smaller length/diameter (L/D) aspect ratio compared to conventional carbon nanotubes.

Broader Impact: Many of the most promising applications for CNTs and graphene involve their use in nano-electronic devices like field effect transistors, nano-interconnects and nano sensors. To make very large scale integrated (VLSI) devices using CNTs or graphene as main components, short length one-dimensional CNT structures with smaller L/D aspect ratio as compared to conventional CNTs must be made.

Significant Results: We have successfully fabricated novel graphitic nanostructures having 103-105 times smaller length/diameter (L/D) aspect ratio compared to carbon nanotubes (CNTs). These new nanostructured carbon forms are called carbon nanocups and nanorings. They are prepared inside nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide channels (AAO) using conventional fabrication methods such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and ion-milling.

SEM images showing various graphitic nanostructures fabricated after removing AAO templates

(a) short CNTs (50 nm diameter and 150nm length)
(b) carbon nanocups (50nm diameter and 50nm length)
(c) carbon nanorings (50nm diameter and 30nm-50nm length)
(d) conventional CNTs (50nm diameter and 10 μm length).