Annual Report 2007 - The Australian Nanotechnology Network

During his visit in February he gave seminars on the topic Attempts in CNT Engineering:
Nanocone, Nanobell, and Beyond in the following cities:
Australian National University - Canberra
University of Queensland - Brisbane
Abstract
Nanoscale carbon-based materials exhibit a wealth of interesting structural, electronic, and
optical behaviors. Chemical vapor deposition technology allows almost unlimited freedom to
produce functional nano-materials with controllable compositions and structures approaching the
nanometer scale among light elements. Tubular graphite nanocones with nanometer-sized tips
and micrometer-sized roots, have been synthesized. These nanocones have hollow interiors and
identical chiralities of a zigzag type across the entire diameter. Aligned polymerized carbon
nitride (CN) nanobells have been grown on a large scale. Separation of single CN nanobells and
fabrication of heterojunctions between CN nanobells and pure carbon nanotubes are achieved.
Electronic effect and related tunneling mechanism of polymerized CN nanobells are studied by
scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Ab-initio study found that nitrogen atoms, which are attracted
to the open-edge sites of the bells, may play as stoppers during the nanobell growth. Single wall
boron carbon nitride (BCN) has been obtained and characterized. Also discuss cactus-like boron
carbonitride (BCN) nanofibers, which present strong blue-violet photoluminescence at room
temperature. Finally, some experimental results, related to the potential applications in
nanoprobes, emitters, and lithium storage, as well as in situ probing of single nano-object inside
transmission electron microscope will be discussed.
Research supported by CAS, NSF and MOST of China.
Prof Selim Ünlü
Professor Selim Ünlü, a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Biomedical
Engineering, and Physics at Boston University visited Australia in the last week of June. Prof
Ünlü's career interest is in research and development of photonic materials, devices and systems
focusing on the design, processing, characterization, and modeling of semiconductor
optoelectronic devices, especially photodetectors, as well as high-resolution microscopy and
spectroscopy of semiconductor and biological materials.
During his tour from the 19 th to the 29 th June he gave seminars in the following cities on the
topic of “Applications of Optical
Resonance to Biological Sensing and
Imaging”:
Australian National University – Canberra
The University of Western Australia -
Perth
Monash University – Melbourne
University of Technology – Sydney
Macquarie University – Sydney
Prof Selim Unlu and Prof Jagadish
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