Summary: nature materials | VOL 9 | MAY 2010 | www.nature.com/naturematerials 379
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C
arbon is arguably the element that
best represents the emergence of
new phenomena and properties
when dimensionality or size are reduced.
Fullerenes1
, nanotubes2
, nanoribbons and
graphene3
can be considered as the pieces
available in the carbon-only `Lego' of
nanoscience, all of which show excellent
electronic, mechanical and thermal
properties. Combining carbon with its
neighbouring atoms in the periodic table
(boron and nitrogen) increases enormously
the number of pieces available, offering a
host of different BCN configurations. Soon

Source: Ajayan, Pulickel M. - Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Rice University

Collections: Materials Science