MICROSCOPIC DETERMINATION OF THE INTERLAYER BINDING-ENERGY IN GRAPHITE

High-tensile-strength carbon nanotubes an nonetheless susceptible to l arge radial deformations. In particular, tubes may collapse so that op posing tube walls attain the graphitic interlayer spacing. A simple el astic model shows that the ratio of mean curvature modulus to the inte rwall attraction of graphite determines the cross-section of a collaps ed tube. Transmission electron microscopy of collapsed tubes confirms the elastic model and affords the first microscopic measurement of the strength of the intersheet attraction, a quantity otherwise difficult to assess. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.