Nanoflower
A nanoflower, in chemistry, refers to a compound of certain elements that results in formations which in microscopic view resemble flowers or, in some cases, trees that are called nanobouquets or nanotrees.[1] These formations are nanometers long and thick so they can only be observed using electron microscopy.[2]
Production
[edit]Several ways to produce nanoflowers are known:
- A process similar to the making of a carbon nanotube using a hydrocarbon gas.
- Heating gallium (Ga) and then flowing methane (CH4) over, under specific pressure and heat. This forms flower-shaped silicon carbide (SiC) structures.
- Heating a molybdenum dioxide (MoO2) thin film on a piece of molybdenum foil surrounded by sulfur vapour.[3]
Nanomeadow
[edit]In supercapacitors, energy is stored because the electrodes are coated with a porous material that soaks up ions like a sponge, usually activated carbon. Nanomeadow supercapacitors store ions in manganese oxide (MnO), a material with a much greater capacity for ions than activated carbon.[4]
Scientists at Research Institute of Chemical Defence (Beijing, China) and Peking University created a nanomeadow of microscopic structures, fuzzy flowers of MnO each about 100 nanometres across on a field of messy carbon nanotube grass grown on a tantalum metal foil. Nanomeadows perform 10 times better than MnO alone and can store twice as much charge as the carbon-based electrodes in existing ultracapacitors.[4]
See also
[edit]- Carbon nanotubes in photovoltaics
- Carbon nanotube – Allotropes of carbon with a cylindrical nanostructure
- Selective chemistry of single-walled nanotubes
- Resonance Raman spectroscopy – Raman spectroscopy technique
- Allotropes of carbon – Materials made only out of carbon
- graphene – Hexagonal lattice made of carbon atoms
- buckypaper – Thin sheet made of aggregated carbon nanotubes
- Electric double-layer capacitor – High-capacity electrochemical capacitor
- Hiromichi Kataura – Japanese scientist
Footnotes
[edit]- ^ "Silicon carbide nanoflowers bloom - nanotechweb.org". nanotechweb.org. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ^ Kalaugher, Liz. "Nanoflowers: Science Videos - Science News - ScienCentral". www.sciencentral.com. Archived from the original on 2008-08-03. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ^ Kalaugher, Liz. "Nanoflowers blossom in place of nanotubes - nanotechweb.org". nanotechweb.org. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ^ a b Colin Barras (17 September 2008). "Can nanoscopic meadows drive electric cars forward?". New Scientist.
References
[edit]- Summary of the 2nd E.E.F. (Enosi Ellinon Fysikon, Hellenic Science Society) Conference in Texnopolis Athens, Greece
External links
[edit]- Tyrrell, James. "Interference fringes create sensing template - nanotechweb.org". nanotechweb.org. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- Photo of nanoflower
- "The 'nanoflower' breathalyzer « Neurophilosophy". neurophilosophy.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2008-06-18.