Carbon nanobud

In nanotechnology, a carbon nanobud is a material that combines carbon nanotubes and spheroidal fullerenes, both allotropes of carbon, forming "buds" attached to the tubes. Carbon nanobuds were discovered and synthesized in 2006. In this material, fullerenes are bonded with covalent bonds to the outer sidewalls of the underlying nanotube. Consequently, nanobuds exhibit properties of carbon nanotubes and fullerenes. The mechanical properties and the electrical conductivity of the nanobuds are similar to those of carbon nanotubes. Canatu Oy, a Finnish company, claims the intellectual property rights for nanobuds, its synthesis processes, and several applications. Carbon nanobuds (CNBs) have some of the properties of carbon nanotubes, such as one-dimensional electrical conductivity, flexibility and manufacturing adaptability, as well as some of the chemical properties of fullerenes. Examples of these properties include ability to engage in cycloaddition reactions and can easily form the chemical bonds capable of attaching to other molecules with complex structures. CNBs have a much higher chemical activity than single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). CNBs have been shown to have electronic properties that differ from those of fullerenes and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). CNBs exhibit lower field thresholds, higher current densities, and electric field emissions than SWCNTs. The chemical bonds between the nanotube's wall and the fullerenes on the surface can lead to charge transfer between the surfaces. The presence of fullerenes in CNBs leads to smaller bundle formation and higher chemical reactivity. CNBs can engage in cycloaddition reactions and form chemical bonds attaching molecules with complex structures, due to the greater availability of CNB surface to the reactants, the presence of π-conjugated structure and 5-atom rings with excess pirimidization energy. Formation energy indicated that the preparation of CNBs is endothermic, meaning that it is not favorable to create.