文摘
Short carbon nanotubes have been modified selectively on one end with metal using a bulk technique based on bipolar electrochemistry. Astabilized suspension of nanotubes is introduced in a capillary containing an aqueous metal salt solution, and a high electric field is appliedto orientate and polarize the individual tubes. During their transport through the capillary under sufficient polarization (30 kV), each nanotubeis the site of water oxidation on one end and the site of metal ion reduction on the other end with the size of the formed metal cluster beingproportional to the potential drop along the nanotube.