A review on Carbon nano-tubes - A new era of nanotechnology

Carbon nanotubes, which consist of rolled graphene sheets built from sp hybridized carbon atoms, were reported to be discovered in 1991, and are now attracting researchers from various disciplines due to their alluring physico-chemical properties. The special nature of carbon combines with the molecular perfection of buckytubes to endow them with exceptionally high material properties such as electrical and thermal conductivity, strength, stiffness, and toughness. The delocalised п-electron donated by each atom is free to move about the entire structure, rather than stay home with its donor atom, giving rise to the first molecule with metallic-type electrical conductivity. The high-frequency C-C bond vibrations provide an intrinsic thermal conductivity higher than even diamond. CNTs open incredible applications in diverse aspects of engineering like materials, electronics, chemical processing and energy management and some of these applications are now realized in products. Others are demonstrated in early to advanced devices, and one, hydrogen storage, is clouded by controversy. The purpose of this review report is to provide the reader some insight in the wide range of aspects of chemistry and applications of CNT and, ultimately, some support and guidance for the reader’s own research. Keywords—Nanotechnology, Carbon nanotubes, Properties of CNTs, Applications of CNTs, Functionalization schemes.