Carbon nanotubes: Chemically Induced, Thermally Controlled Peel‐Off of the External Walls of Double‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes (Small 24/2010)

The cover picture shows the thermally induced peel-off of the external wall of aryl-functionalized double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs). It is known that the covalent functionalization of DWNTs introduces moieties onto the surface of the outer tubes, while the electronic properties of the inner tubes remain intact. At the same time, the functionalization process creates defects at the external framework of the DWNTs, thus causing disruption of the continuous π-electronic network. Annealing of the functionalized DWNTs results, initially, in thermal decomposition of the grafted aryl units—leaving defect sites on the outer layer of the DWNTs—followed then, by exposure of the inner walls as individual single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) possessing larger diameters as compared to the corresponding inner tubes of the pristine DWNTs. The exposed SWNTs lack thermal stability and seem to be destroyed upon further thermal treatment. For more information, please read the Communication “Chemically Induced, Thermally Controlled Peel-Off of the External Walls of Double-Walled Carbon Nanotubes” by H. Shinohara, N. Tagmatarchis, and co-workers, beginning on page 2826.