Segmented and opened multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Cutting multi-walled carbon nanotubes and letting them open is a key issue for potential applications which imply insertion of chemical species. This is performed by using a new, clean, and simple abrasive method involving di amond particles. Direct observation of the treated sample by transmission e lectron microscopy reveals fragments of tubes with lengths ranging from 200 to 600 nm and opened on both of their ends. X-ray diffraction and micro-Ra man spectroscopy attest that tubes keep their initial structure confirming that the proposed method does not induce drastic structural damage. (C) 200 1 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.