Configuration transition between graphene and nanoscroll using kinetic energy injecting method

Abstract

By placing a graphene nanoribbon (GNR) near a carbon nanotube (CNT) it is possible to obtain a carbon nanoscroll (CNS) from the GNR winding on the CNT. The original two-dimensional material, then, becomes a one-dimensional material. To shift the two types of material from the same nanocomponents, external energy ought to be injected into the CNS. Without an injecting charge or putting the system at a high temperature, rotational kinetic energy can also lead to the same result. In the present study the unwinding features of a GNR from a rotary CNT are investigated, with consideration of such essentials as the chirality of the CNT and GNR, sizes of the GNR, temperature, and defects on the CNT. The driving power of the CNT for unwinding the GNR depends on the interaction between the two components. Some remarkable conclusions are drawn which are helpful in potential applications of the geometry shifting of the CNS.