Carbon nanotubes: State-of-the-art technology and safety for success

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes, consisting of rolled graphene layer built from sp2 units, have attracted intense attention from scientists and engineers having different scientific backgrounds and their unusual physical and chemical properties make them promising in the fabrication of nanocomposites, nano-electronic devices and sensors. The current status and prospect of carbon nanotubes are described with a special emphasis on the safety issue of carbon nanotubes. Though many challenges need to be solved, extensive and intensive efforts in both academy and industry will clear out those problems soon and finally enable carbon nanotubes to play a key innovative material of 21st century in numerous industrial processes.