A Growth Model of Nanocarbons

Abstract

A growth model of nanocarbons including fullerenes and carbon nanotubes is described on the basis of experimental results accumulated in our research group during the last 25 years. In this model, a special attention is placed on the relationship between the initial condition for the carbon clustering process and the selectivity in pentagon and hexagon network formation which leads to clarify the reason why a sort of selection rule was found in the structures of nanocarbons. On the basis of the present model, a new method for preparing the carbon nanotube with a single chirality is proposed.