Nanotubes: Synthesis and Applications

多壁和单壁纳米管目前通过高压CO转化、脉冲激光汽化、化学气相沉积或碳弧合成制成。通过这些方法以混合物的形式生产各种尺寸以及封端和未封端的碳纳米管，并且无法获得含杂原子的纳米管。该项目致力于逐步合成具有预定直径、长度和功能的特定碳纳米管，以及含杂原子的纳米管。具体目标是：（1）合成具有特定直径和长度的功能化单壁碳纳米管； (2)含杂原子纳米管的合成； (3)较大尺寸纳米管的合成及纳米管的自组装； (4)纳米管在脂质双层离子通道形成中的应用。自从1991年在电弧放电烟灰材料中发现多壁碳纳米管以来，碳纳米管已成为过去二十年研究最深入的一类材料。人们的兴趣源于它们独特的电子和机械特性。目前制备这些独特材料的方法受到限制，因为它们产生不同尺寸和结构的纳米管的混合物，而不是纯材料。在有机和高分子化学项目的支持下，堪萨斯州立大学化学系的 Duy H. Hua 教授正在开发克服这些限制的纳米管合成新方法。这种纯净的、结构明确的纳米管将为电子、分析设备和生物应用的开发提供新材料。

Multi-walled and single-walled nanotubes are currently made from high-pressure CO conversion, pulsed-laser vaporization, chemical vapor deposition, or carbon arc synthesis. Various sizes and both capped and uncapped carbon nanotubes are produced as mixtures by these methods, and heteroatom containing nanotubes are unavailable. This project addresses the step-wise synthesis of specific carbon nanotubes with predetermined diameter and length and functionalities, as well as heteroatom containing nanotubes. The specific aims are: (1) synthesis of functionalized singlewalled carbon nanotubes with specific diameters and lengths; (2) synthesis of heteroatomcontaining nanotubes; (3) synthesis of larger size nanotubes and self-assembly of nanotubes; and (4) application of nanotubes in the formation of lipid-bilayer ion channels.Since the 1991 discovery of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in arc-discharge soot materials, carbon nanotubes have become one of the most intensively studied classes of materials of the past two decades. The interest stems from their unique electronic and mechanical properties. Current methods for preparing these unique materials are limited in that they produce mixtures of various sizes and configurations of nanotubes rather than pure materials. With the support of the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program, Professor Duy H. Hua, of the Department of Chemistry at Kansas State University, is developing new methods for the synthesis of nanotubes that overcome these limitations. The pure, structurally well-defined nanotubes will provide new materials for development in electronic, analytical devices, and biological applications.