Single-walled Carbon Nanotube Growth from Chiral Carbon Nanorings: Prediction of Chirality and Diameter Influence on Growth Rates

Catalyst-free, chirality-controlled growth of chiral and zigzag single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) from organic precursors is demonstrated using quantum chemical simulations. Growth of (4,3), (6,5), (6,1), (10,1) and (8,0) SWCNTs was induced by ethynyl radical (C2H) addition to organic precursors. These simulations show a strong dependence of the SWCNT growth rate on the chiral angle, θ. The SWCNT diameter however does not influence the SWCNT growth rate under these conditions. This agreement with a previously proposed screw-dislocation-like model of transition metal-catalyzed SWCNT growth rates [Ding, F.; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 2009, 106, 2506] indicates that the SWCNT growth rate is an intrinsic property of the SWCNT edge itself. Conversely, we predict that the rate of SWCNT growth via Diels–Alder cycloaddition of C2H2 is strongly influenced by the diameter of the SWCNT. We therefore predict the existence of a maximum growth rate for an optimum diameter/chirality combination at a given C2H/C2H2 ratio. We also find that the ability of a SWCNT to avoid defect formation during growth is an intrinsic quality of the SWCNT edge.