date:Sep 07, 2012
are sheets of carbon atoms rolled into cylinders that act as superhighways for electron flow.
The researchers added copper atoms to modify the tubes to detect ethylene gas which serve as speed bumps to slow the flowing electrons. Ethylene binds to the copper atoms to slow the electrons further.
By measuring how much the electrons slow down the researchers can determine the presence of ethylene.
The team added tiny beads of polystyrene, which absorbs ethylene and concentrates it near the carb