ABSTRACT
Carbon, a solid element, is the basis of organic chemistry. It exists in nature in various forms (e.g., coal, diamond, graphite, complex molecules). Scientists have realized that carbon is an extremely versatile material, and this has attracted their attention. The discovery of fullerene has initiated a new era in carbon chemistry. Other exotic forms of carbon nanomaterials are nanotubes, graphene, carbon quantum dots, etc. These nanomaterials have gained attention due to their unique electronic, optical, thermal, mechanical, and chemical properties. They have given scientists and technologists the opportunity to make important advances in fundamental and material science and the expansion of disruptive technologies. Presently, the materials research community continues to explore and exploit new low-dimensional graphitic carbon allotropes at an unparalleled rate. The present chapter is focused on the development of research in the the synthesis of carbon nanomaterials, e.g., CNTs, graphene, fullerene, and quantum dots. It also discusses our R and D efforts towards the synthesis and characterization of these carbon nanomaterials.
