Nanowhiskers, discovered by Kun'ichi Miyazawa[1] are single crystals composed of [60]fullerene molecules with face-centered cubic packing and arranged into the shape of hollow, cylindrical tubes. Nanowhisker diameters range from 100 nanometers to several microns. Potential applications include sensors, batteries, electronic devices, catalysts, and templates. In this presentation, we will discuss solvent effects on nanowhisker growth, the effects of heat and sonication on nanowhisker stability, and the development of experimental methods to incorporate single walled carbon nanotubes inside the nanowhiskers.

[1] See: Kun'ichi, M.; Nishimura, C.; Fujino, M.; Suga, T.; Yoshii, T., Trans. Mat. Res. Soc. Japan 2004, 29(5), 1965-1968.