From carbon nanotubes to carbon nanorods

The structural properties of single and multi-wall carbon nanotubes and the formation of carbon nanorods from multi-wall carbon nanotubes have been in vestigated by performing molecular-dynamics computer simulations. Calculati ons have been realized by using an empirical many-body potential energy fun ction for carbon. It has been found that carbon nanorod formation takes pla ce with smallest possible multi-wall nanotubes under heat treatment. On the other hand, it has been also found that single-wall carbon nanotubes are s tronger than the multi-wall nanotubes against heat treatment.