Fabrication of high-purity, double-walled carbon nanotube buckypaper

Recently, much attention has been paid to double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs). This article highlights a recent advance in the fabrication of high-purity DWNT buckypaper through a combination of a catalytic chemical vapor deposition and an optimized two-step purification process. The DWNTs have small diameters (below 2 nm) and are packed in a hexagonal array. Their highly enhanced thermal stability (up to 2300 degrees C) is believed to derive from their coaxial structure. DWNT buckypaper exhibits superior mechanical and electrical properties, accessible surface area, and structural integrity, and may eventually replacing single-walled carbon nanotubes in numerous applications.