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A carbon nanotube is a small cylindrical carbon structure made out of graphene. The tube comprises hexagonal structures. Despite their very small size, carbon nanotubes are very strong. They are currently used for structural reinforcement in applications such as concrete rebar, but could also be used as semiconductors.
Carbon nanotubes are also known as “Buckytubes” because they resemble R. Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic domes.
Techopedia Explains Carbon Nanotube
Carbon nanotubes are very small structures made of graphene. They get their name because their diameter is approximately one nanometer thick. Carbon nanotubes are surprisingly strong for their small size.
Current applications include polymers to enchance or inhibit electrical conductivity, such as in anti-static bags. They can also be used in structural reinforcement such as in concrete rebar, but one of the most interesting applications is in semiconductors. Carbon nanotubes could replace silicon in chip making. Carbon nanotubes are grown in a lab using a catalyst predeposited on a surface or suspended in a hot gas stream.
