Carbon Nanotubes in Engineering Applications: A Review

Abstract

Abstract- Carbon nanotubes are molecular-scale tubes of graphite carbon that possess superior properties. They are the strongest and stiffest fibres with Young’s modulus 1 TPa and maximum tensile strength of 63 GPa. Carbon nanotubes are widely used in Biolog i-cal, Chemical, Medical, Material Science and Engineering applications. This review outlines the engineering applications of carbon nanotubes and discusses benefits and concerns associated with their uses. Many research works have been done on this particular topic and various technologies have been proposed and applied at experimental and field levels. It is planned to identify the applica-tions of carbon nanotubes from engineering point of view. Keywords- Nano Tubes; Nano Technology; Engineering Applications I. INTRODUCTION Nano technology has recently become one of the thrust areas in research and development worldwide and has also attracted considerable attentions in the media and investment community [1]. Nano technology represents a combination of classical, natural, mathematical, computer and material sciences, investigating and manipulating physical matter on the scale of nanome-tres [2]. Nano technology development started in the 1990’s after the discovery of Nobel Prize-winning technique, scanning tunnel-ling microscopy and atomic force microscopy. These techniques enabled the visualization and handling of small scale physical matter with exceptional accuracy [2]. Nano technology was named as “the sixth truly revolutionary technology introduced in the modern world.” Carbon nanotubes take the form of cylindrical tubes and are allotropes of carbon [3]. CNTs are having novel properties such as small dimensions, strength and remarkable physical properties which allow them to be potentially useful in a wide range of applications in nanotechnology such as engineering, electronics, chemical, optics, biological, medicine and material science applications. Carbon nanotubes are categorized mainly into two types: