Atomic Transportation via Carbon Nanotubes

The transportation of helium atoms in a single-walled carbon nanotube is reported via molecular dynamics simulations. The efficiency of the atomic transportation is found to be dependent on the type of the applied loading and the loading rate as well as the temperature in the process. Simulations show the transportation is a result of the van der Waals force between the nanotube and the helium atoms through a kink propagation initiated in the nanotube.