Mass transportation mechanism in electric-biased carbon nanotubes.
The mass transportation mechanism in electric-biased carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is investigated experimentally. Except for the widely accepted electromigration mechanism, we find out the thermal effect can also induce the mass transportation in the form of thermomigration or thermal evaporation. Moreover, the convincing in situ transmission electron microscope experiment results show the thermal gradient force overrides the electromigration force in most conditions, according to specific parameters of the CNTs and "cargos". A full analysis on the thermal gradient force and electromigration force imposed on the cargos is given, thus our experimental results are well explained and understood.
The State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing National Center for Electron Microscopy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Jiong
J
Zhao
Jia-Qi
JQ
Huang
Fei
F
Wei
Jing
J
Zhu
D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon