The smallest test tube - ScientistsOut!

Yifan Zhang

Politecnico di Milano - Department of Energy

Key Takeaways

Test tubes are iconic in chemistry labs for their structure, transparency, and functionality in controlling small-scale chemical reactions. Test tubes limit the scale of reactions, preventing spills and facilitating easy heating. They come in various sizes, from handling 10 ml to smaller than 1 ml for centrifuge use.
The smallest test tubes in nature are cellular structures aiding protein construction. Zeolites and other porous materials serve as nanoscale containers.
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), discovered by Sumio Iijima, are highlighted for their small size, ranging from 0.3 to over 1.4 nanometers in diameter.
CNTs can house metallic particles (e.g., iron, nickel) and other materials to form new one-dimensional (1D) structures. They facilitate the creation of 1D crystals (e.g., ruthenium, silver) and various compounds (e.g., potassium iodide) within their confined space.
Organic molecules like fullerenes (C60, C80) can be inserted into CNTs to form peapod structures and undergo reactions under electron beams.
CNTs enable the formation of unique structures like graphene nanoribbons and atomic chains (e.g., phosphorus and sulfur).
The properties of the encapsulated materials can be tailored by the diameter and chirality of the CNTs.
CNTs protect delicate nanostructures (e.g., carbon chains) from degradation, allowing for the creation of long and stable chains of atoms.
The band gap of carbon chains can be controlled by the CNT diameter, presenting new possibilities for nanodevices.
The Van der Waals interaction between the CNT and encapsulated material ensures no chemical bond formation, preserving the integrity of the structure.
Different methods (e.g., Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), Thermal Radiation Deposition (TRD), physical liquid transport) are used to insert molecules into CNTs and activate reactions.
Choosing the correct CNT diameter is crucial for desired material construction.
Methods to open CNTs include heating and treating with chemicals or plasma.
Open questions include utilizing CNTs with different chiralities, extracting resultant materials, and finding practical applications.
The research aims to develop new devices and explore further uses of CNTs and the materials they encapsulate.

Preprint

Preprint

The smallest test tube - ScientistsOut!