Decades of research have failed to decipher the atomic-scale mechanism by which carbon nanofibres grow out of vapour. High-resolution microscopy shows that the carbon atoms have a bumpy ride.
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Ajayan, P. How does a nanofibre grow?. Nature 427, 402–403 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/427402a
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/427402a
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