Chemistry
Strategies for Synthesizing Carbon Nanotubes with Controlled Chirality
Quick fact
A single degree of twist in the nanotube's rolling can change it from a conductor to a semiconductor—nearly every electronic property changes with chirality.
Why this is interesting
Carbon nanotubes—tiny rolled-up sheets of carbon—can be either metallic or semiconducting, but the difference comes down to just how they're rolled. How can scientists control that twist to create exactly the right nanotube?