Smallest carbon nanotube is 3 a in diameter.
Previous energetic considerations have led to the belief that carbon nanotubes (CNTs) of 4 A in diameter are the smallest stable CNTs. Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, we find that a stable 3 A CNT can be grown inside a multiwalled carbon nanotube. Density functional calculations indicate that the 3 A CNT is the armchair CNT(2,2) with a radial breathing mode at 787 cm(-1). Each end can be capped by half of a C12 cage (hexagonal prism) containing tetragons.
Zhao
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X
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 21st Century COE Program "Nano Factory," Meijo University, Nagoya 468-8502, Japan. zhao@ccmfs.meijo-u.ac.jp
Liu
Y
Y
Inoue
S
S
Suzuki
T
T
Jones
R O
RO
Ando
Y
Y