Catalytically grown carbon nanotubes of small diameter have a high Young's modulus.

Experimental studies of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) obtained through different synthesis routes show considerable variability in their mechanical properties. The strongest CNTs obtained so far had a high Young's modulus of 1 TPa but could only be produced in gram scale quantities. The synthesis by catalytic chemical vapor deposition, a method that holds the greatest potential for large-scale production, gives CNTs with a high defect density.