Carbon nanotubes to be replaced by MoSIx nanowires in high-tech devices says new study

The atomic structure of Mo6S3I6 nanowires. (a) Side view of an individual Mo6S3I6 molecular chain with S atoms in the bridging positions B and (b) projection along the crystalline c axis. Early X-ray diffraction experiments indicated chain ordering according to the hexagonal P63 spacegroup12 (the unit cell shown with solid lines) Structural and physical properties of Mo6SxI9-x molecular nanowires

Carbon nanotubes have long been touted as the wonder material of the future. Applications cited for carbon nanotubes range from super fast computers and ultra small electronics through to materials that are lightweight yet super strong and tougher than diamond.

Several techniques have been devised for producing carbon nanotubes but, getting these materials and devices from the laboratory to the marketplace is obstructed by one inherent problem. Scaling up laboratory production techniques to produce commercial quantities of high quality, high purity carbon nanotubes is a difficult process. But this is set to change with another type of recently discovered nanotube currently under investigation.

The nanowire structure of Mo6S3I6 as determined by STEM measurments [8]. The brackets define the nanowire unit cell, which containes 12 Mo (red), 6 S (yellow), 12 I (purple) atoms.

This promising new material is molybdenum-sulfur-iodine nanowires. Researchers from Jožef Stefan Institute have investigated the atomic and electronic structure of molybdenum-sulfur-iodine molecular nanowires as well as their basic transport, optical and mechanical properties. The research has now been published in a special edition of the open access journal, AZoJono and can be accessed in its entirety at Structural and Physical Properties of Mo6SxI9-x Molecular Nanowires.

This special edition of AZoJono* features a number of papers from DESYGN-IT, the project seeking to secure Europe as the international scientific leader in the design, synthesis, growth, characterisation and applications of nanotubes, nanowires and nanotube arrays for industrial technology.

The research team of D. Dvorsek, D. Vengust, V. Nicolosi, W.J. Blau, J.C. Coleman and D. Mihailovic found that the material also known as MoSIx nanowires was relatively easy to synthesise and disperse making it highly suited to commercialisation. The properties of the nanowires point to them being suited for use in applications such as battery electrodes, tribology and field emission displays. Ongoing research will look at growth mechanisms, stoichiometry control, magnetoelasticity and electrostrictive properties. ###

*AZojono publishes high quality articles and papers on all aspects of nanomaterials and related technologies. All the contributions are reviewed by a world class panel of editors who are experts in a wide spectrum of materials science. [See Founding Editors: AZojono - Journal of Nanotechnology Online]

AZojono is based on the patented OARS (Open Access Rewards System) publishing protocol. The OARS protocol represents a unique development in the field of scientific publishing – the distribution of online scientific journal revenue between the authors, peer reviewers and site operators with no publication charges, just totally free to access high quality, peer reviewed materials science. [See AZojono - Journal of Nanotechnology Online and Journal of Nanotechnology FAQ’s:]

Contact: Ian Birkby journals@azonetwork.com 61-029-999-0070 AZoNetwork