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The Nanotube Site Most scientists have probably heard of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), but it is not easy to get an overview of the field. Starting research on CNTs one has to deal with a flood of information. A visit to the Nanotube Site might guide you. A first look at the site encourages you, as you learn that Robert F. Curl, Har- old W. Kroto, and Richard E. Smalley won the Nobel Prize for their work on the C 60 ™buckyball∫ in 1996. The link to Smalley×s web pages leads you to several nice images, a visit to the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, his Nobel Lecture (in case you missed to read it in Angewandte [1] ). You can also learn how to mount a CNT on a scanning probe microscope tip. The layout of the Nanotube Site can not really be called artistic, but on the other hand, this web site is quickly loaded. It is maintained by David Tom- anek who would appreciate any assis- tance. In fact, several links are dead. A closer look at the site will lead you to the ™Physical Properties of Carbon Nanotubes∫ pages compiled by Tom Adams. These pages give you a good overview about CNTs and a set of interesting references. A useful selection of books is also given. Beautiful image galleries of optimized geometries and detailed information about some CNT structures are found below. What is currently being done in the field and who works on it? The site is unfortunately less useful here: ™Other Nanotube Link Sites∫ gives many links to other web sites. The information is however not structured according to subjects. One has no alternative than to navigate through around 50 web sites. There are three further sections: ™Dedi- cated Nanotube Sites∫, ™Nanotube Re- lated Sites∫, and ™Links Relevant to Nanotube Research∫. Again, the infor- mation is not presented in a structured way. Secondly, the links do not present an overview of all the important groups in the world, but is rather focused on US groups. The web site could be improved largely by dividing the field into several subjects and presenting some basic in- formation and the important research groups for each subject. Also a compa- rative overview over the diversity of synthetic methods and properties of the resulting CNTs would surely help to make the subject more transparent and easier to enter. The Nanotube Site also tells you about future and past conferences and work- shops. The section ™Sources of Nano- tubes and Nanotube-Based Products∫ has been extremely useful for us: Here you can find a list of companies which sell nanotube materials in both bulk and small quantities. Carbon nanotubes are currently an extremely popular subject. The risk that CNTs will end up like other famous and trendy scientific subjects is high if the enthusiasm (some would say hype) of some researchers is not moderated. It would be helpful for both industries and universities if the Nanotube Site could be a messenger for realism concerning CNTs. An honest and detailed overview of potential applications with their re- quirements and whether or not they match the properties of CNTs would be a tremendous step in that direction. One or two real commercial applications would do more benefit to the field than a hundred potential ones. To conclude, the Nanotube Site re- flects the situation in the real nanotube world precisely: fascinating on the first view, with a lot of information, which is however not optimally structured, and a lack of discussion on industrial applica- tions. It is well worth visiting. Ralph Kurt and Niels de Jonge Philips Research (The Netherlands) [1] R. E. Smalley, Angew. Chem. 1997 , 109, 1666 ± 1673 ; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1997 , 36, 1594 ± 1601. WEB SITES Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2002, 41, No. 3 ¹ WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2002 1433-7851/02/4103-0521 $ 17.50+.50/0 521 Suggest a web site or submit a review: [email protected] For further information visit: http://www.pa.msu.edu/cmp/csc/ nanotube.html or contact [email protected]

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The Nanotube Site

Most scientists have probably heard ofcarbon nanotubes (CNTs), but it is noteasy to get an overview of the field.Starting research on CNTs one has todeal with a flood of information. A visitto the Nanotube Site might guide you.A first look at the site encourages you,

as you learn that Robert F. Curl, Har-old W. Kroto, and Richard E. Smalleywon the Nobel Prize for their work onthe C60 ™buckyball∫ in 1996. The link toSmalley×s web pages leads you to severalnice images, a visit to the Center forNanoscale Science and Technology, hisNobel Lecture (in case you missed toread it in Angewandte[1]). You can alsolearn how to mount a CNTon a scanningprobe microscope tip.The layout of the Nanotube Site can

not really be called artistic, but on theother hand, this web site is quicklyloaded. It is maintained by David Tom-

anek who would appreciate any assis-tance. In fact, several links are dead.A closer look at the site will lead you

to the ™Physical Properties of CarbonNanotubes∫ pages compiled by TomAdams. These pages give you a goodoverview about CNTs and a set ofinteresting references. A useful selectionof books is also given. Beautiful imagegalleries of optimized geometries anddetailed information about some CNTstructures are found below.What is currently being done in the

field and who works on it? The site isunfortunately less useful here: ™OtherNanotube Link Sites∫ gives many linksto other web sites. The information ishowever not structured according tosubjects. One has no alternative than tonavigate through around 50 web sites.There are three further sections: ™Dedi-cated Nanotube Sites∫, ™Nanotube Re-lated Sites∫, and ™Links Relevant toNanotube Research∫. Again, the infor-mation is not presented in a structuredway. Secondly, the links do not presentan overview of all the important groupsin the world, but is rather focused on USgroups. The web site could be improvedlargely by dividing the field into severalsubjects and presenting some basic in-formation and the important researchgroups for each subject. Also a compa-rative overview over the diversity ofsynthetic methods and properties of theresulting CNTs would surely help tomake the subject more transparent andeasier to enter.The Nanotube Site also tells you about

future and past conferences and work-

shops. The section ™Sources of Nano-tubes and Nanotube-Based Products∫has been extremely useful for us: Hereyou can find a list of companies whichsell nanotube materials in both bulk andsmall quantities.Carbon nanotubes are currently an

extremely popular subject. The risk thatCNTs will end up like other famous andtrendy scientific subjects is high if theenthusiasm (some would say hype) ofsome researchers is not moderated. Itwould be helpful for both industries anduniversities if the Nanotube Site couldbe a messenger for realism concerningCNTs. An honest and detailed overviewof potential applications with their re-quirements and whether or not theymatch the properties of CNTs would bea tremendous step in that direction. Oneor two real commercial applicationswould do more benefit to the field thana hundred potential ones.

To conclude, the Nanotube Site re-flects the situation in the real nanotubeworld precisely: fascinating on the firstview, with a lot of information, which ishowever not optimally structured, and alack of discussion on industrial applica-tions. It is well worth visiting.

Ralph Kurt and Niels de JongePhilips Research (The Netherlands)

[1] R. E. Smalley, Angew. Chem. 1997, 109,1666 ± 1673; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl.1997, 36, 1594 ± 1601.

WEB SITES

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2002, 41, No. 3 ¹ WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2002 1433-7851/02/4103-0521 $ 17.50+.50/0 521

Suggest a web site or submit a review:[email protected]

For further information visit:

http://www.pa.msu.edu/cmp/csc/nanotube.htmlor contact

[email protected]