Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have used a
technique based on mechanical resonance induced by an oscillating
electrical voltage to measure the comparative bending strength of
tiny carbon nanotubes produced by two competing processes. The
National Science Foundation-sponsored work, which also correlates the
strength measurements to observed defects, provides information
important in helping materials scientists to select the best variety
of nanotube for new applications. "We are able to make a quantitative
comparison, with a real number, to describe how much the bending
modulus differs," said Dr. Z.L. Wang, a Georgia Tech professor of
materials science. Researchers compared nanotubes produced by
traditional high-temperature carbon arc discharge to nanotubes grown
through a lower-temperature catalyst-assisted pyrolysis process.
For additional information, e-mail zhong.wang@mse.gatech.edu.
