Breakage, Fusion, and Healing of Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

In-situ breakage of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) under TEM was observed. TEM data suggest that there exist chemical bonds between the broken graphene layer and the inner layer. A "breakage-sliding-fusion" model was proposed to rationalize the experimental observations. Complete load transfer to MWNTs was achieved by co polymerization of MWNTs with the matrix.