Question

What are carbon nanotubes, what is graphene and what is fullerenes? What are their main similarities, differences and applications?

Answer 1

Carbon nanotubes are long cylindrical tubes comprising of carbon atoms linked in hexagonal shape with each carbon atom covalently bonded to three other carbon atoms. The diameter of these tubes is as small as 1 cm and lengths ranges to a few centimetres. Carbon tubes are strong, non-brittle and flexible.

Graphene is a monolayer of carbon atoms, tightly bound in hexagonal honeycomb lattice.It is an allotrope of carbon in form of plane of sp-2 bonded atoms with molecular bond length of 0.142 nanometre.

Fullerene is a wide term which is a pure carbon compound comprising of at least 60 carbon atoms that has a shape similar as a soccer ball. They are in the form of a hollow ellipsoid, tube or a sphere.

Similarities in between:-

1. all are the compounds of carbon.

2. comprises of hexagonal rings of carbon atoms

3. carbon nanotubes and graphene are a type of fullerenes which is a broad term that means any allotrope of carbon.

Difference in between :-

1.Graphene is one atom thick planar sheet of carbon atoms, carbon nanotubes are cylindrical whereas fullerenes may be ellipsoid, tube, sphere etc.

2. Graphene is 2- D whereas fullerenes and carbon nanotubes are 3-D structure.

Applications:-

1. Carbon nanotubes:-

i)CNT' s thermal conductivity

ii) CNT's fibre and fabrics

iii) CNT's energy storage.

iv) Air and water filtration

V) Biomedical application

2. Graphene

I) used for making graphite

ii) anti corrosion coatings and paints

iii) effecient and precise sensor

iv) efficient solar panels.

v) flexible displays

3. Fullerenes

I) in cosmetics

ii) artificial photosynthesis

iii) non linear optics

iv) biological applications

v) in surface coatings