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 diamond particles. Direct observation of the treated sample by transmission electron 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-Raman spectroscopy attest that tubes keep their initial structure confirming that the proposed method does not induce drastic structural damage. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.