Synthesis procedures for production of carbon nanotube junctions

Two different procedures of the preparation of carbon nanotube junctions were achieved. In the first method carboxyl groups were generated onto the outermost wall of multiwall carbon nanotubes and converted to carbonyl chloride groups by reaction with SOCl2 at room temperature. The formed COCl groups are very reactive on the outer surface and can be reacted easily with various amines, particularly diamines resulting in the formation of amide bonding. When two functionalized carbon nanotubes react with such a diamine molecule interconnection of tubes is generated. The resulted carbon nanotube, junctions have been investigated by TEM and AFM. The second method demonstrates a novel principle: catalyst material has been deposited on the outer surface of carbon nanotubes and branches of nanotubes; were produced at this contact point by catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) of acetylene. The product has been characterized by TEM.