Enhancement of the mechanical and thermal transport properties of carbon nanotube yarns by boundary structure modulation.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) exhibit extremely high nanoscopic thermal/electrical transport and mechanical properties. However, the macroscopic properties of assembled CNTs are significantly lower than those of CNTs because of the boundary structure between the CNTs. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the relationship between the nanoscopic boundary structure in CNTs and the macroscopic properties of the assembled CNTs.

Bond Dissociation Triggering Molecular Disorder in Amorphous HO.

We developed a system to deposit HO molecules onto ultrathin silicon nitride substrates in situ using time-resolved transmission electron diffraction apparatus and performed ultrafast time-resolved electron diffraction measurements in the noncrystalline (amorphous) HO under near-ultraviolet photoexcitation. The observed dynamics directly represent O-H bond dissociation via multiphoton absorption and charge transfer, which trigger ionization and intermolecular disorder in the amorphous HO. Our results illustrate the intriguing nature of light-matter and matter-matter interactions in HO molecules.