Flash-initiated combustion of carbon nanotubes can be demonstrated in a large setting using a variety of demonstrations. These demonstrations can also be used to illustrate the importance of surface area in chemical reactions. In two of the demonstrations, the nanotubes melt or ignite a suspended, stretched piece of plastic film. The third demonstration utilizes the combustion of carbon nanotubes to ignite a strip of flash paper.
Supplement
A SEM image of a carbon nanotube mat draped over a human hair and movies of the demonstrations are available.
Folder JCE2006p1511W containing JCE2006p1511W_1.mov, JCE2006p1511W_2.mov, and JCE2006p1511W_3.mov (QuickTime), and JCE2006p1511W.tif (image file)
More Information
Citation
Campbell, Dean J.; Korte, Kylee E.; McCann, Jesse T.; Xia, Younan. J. Chem. Educ.2006 83 1511.
Keywords
Demonstrations; First-Year Undergraduate / General; General Public; Hands-On Learning / Manipulatives; High School / Introductory Chemistry; Inquiry-Based / Discovery Learning; Kinetics; Nanotechnology; Physical Chemistry; Surface Science
History
Created:
Last Updated:
8/23/2006
8/30/2006
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