Abstract
Chemical and physical characterization of nanomaterials is essential to improve synthesis processes, for new technological and commercial applications, and to assess their toxicity through <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> studies. New nanomaterials and new synthesis processes are continuously tested and updated to exploit their innovative properties. In this paper, low-dimensional carbon nanostructure characterization was performed using analytical transmission electron microscopy. Conventional and advanced microscopy techniques, such as acquisition of high resolution images, nanobeam electron diffraction patterns, X-ray energy dispersion, and electron energy loss spectra, were used to determine the main physical and chemical properties of single wall and multiwall carbon nanotubes, graphene flakes, and amorphous carbon films. Through the resulting micrographs, diffraction patterns, and spectra, the main low-dimensional carbon nanostructures properties were determined in terms of structural defects and/or the presence of metallic or heavy elements, such as those used as catalyst or to decorate nanotubes. The obtained information is of crucial importance to investigate low-dimension nanomaterial biological activity.
Highlights
Among low-dimensional carbon nanostructures, nanotubes play the main role up to now
For observation with TEM microscopy, the nanotubes, the graphene, and the highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) flakes were dispersed in isopropyl alcohol
Spectra used to perform energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) microanalysis were acquired in image mode and the obtained information was relative to the zone defined by the superposition of the circular spectrometer aperture (2 mm of diameter) and the image
Summary
Among low-dimensional carbon nanostructures, nanotubes play the main role up to now. They were discovered by chance in 1991 by the physicist Sumio Iijima (NEC Corporation, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan), in the analysis of the products obtained in the growth of fullerenes, the third allotropic species of carbon [1]. Carbon nanotubes can Journal of Nanomaterials be used to make diodes, transistors, LEDs, ultraviolet lasers, photovoltaic cells, electronic cannons for producing ultrahigh-definition plasma screens, and much more [17, 18] Another property of nanotubes is their capillarity due to the tubular shape and high surface area/weight ratio. The technical characteristics and the biological effects are heavily dependent on the chemical and physical properties of the nanomaterials in general, and in the specific case, of nanotubes It is essential, both for their technological application and for evaluating any negative effects on health, to characterize as far as possible the nanostructures from a chemical and physical point of view. The purpose was to measure the main size parameters of the nanostructures and to identify the presence of structural defects and of contaminants like the catalyst used to synthesize the nanostructures
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