<p> Sri Lankan Graphite making the Space Elevator Possible </p><p>L. Samaranayaka; S. Gunasekera, A. K. R. Kumarasinghe and N. Kottegoda Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology</p><p>A metal catalyst free process of manufacturing single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) out of Sri Lankan graphite as anode and cathode, in the absence of external cooling, in an inert gas atmosphere is presented in this paper. This may be applied to construction materials such as steel, cement and plaster materials to enhance their properties.</p><p>Graphite has been extensively used in the synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNT) regardless of the number of walls. It is one of the allotropes of carbon and is an electrical conductor. Carbon nanotubes can be made starting from microcrystalline amorphous carbon or highly crystalline flake graphite or vein graphite. However, the end product depends on the choice of carbon type, the process followed and the conditions applied during the process. </p><p>Vein graphite, also known as crystalline vein graphite, Sri Lankan graphite, or Ceylon graphite is a naturally occurring form of solid carbon deposited from a fluid phase, has the highest “degree of crystalline” perfection of all conventional graphite materials. As a result of its high degree of crystallinity, vein graphite is utilized extensively in graphite based products that are used mainly in the electrical applications. However, possibilities of utilizing them in the construction industry are also being looked at and one exciting opportunity is the space elevator concept discussed in Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke.</p><p>The processes presented in the paper, provides a methodology for preparing CNTs comprising SWCNTs from Sri Lankan graphite. A DC electric current is passed through a carbon anode and a carbon cathode under conditions effective to produce the carbon nanotubes, wherein the carbon anode and the cathode are of substantially the same size. A high power direct current source is used to generate the electric current for the arc discharge process and the process does not require a pressurized chamber as opposed to many other published data. In a preferred embodiment the cathode and anode comprises of vein graphite, and the inert gas is recycled. The SWCNT prepared have been identified from RAMAN spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy, while they are characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy. Also disclosed are carbon nanoparticles that are precursors to the CNT growth process, which may also be used as material property enhancements in the construction industry.</p>