There is no doubt that carbon nanotubes (CNT) are one of the more spectacular
icons of the nanotechnology revolution. Be as it may that Neanderthal man
synthesized them in the smoky depths of his caves, clearly CNT only became
a scientific phenomenon after they had been minutely characterized. This
book constitutes an admirable compendium of the work done since they were
launched onto the world scientific scene.1 Furthermore, it also includes a very
careful and thorough treatment of the fundamental science underlying the
phenomenology of carbon nanotubes. The field is still very new and research
is burgeoning. Clearly, to make significant advances oneself one needs to have
a firm grasp of the fundamentals, and be well aware of what has already been
done. The careful reader of this book will acquire both that grasp and the
awareness. The book is also a most valuable resource for all those interested
in the technological applications of carbon nanotubes, many of which have
doubtless not even been thought of as yet. The study of this book should
be amply repaid by the gain of clear perceptions of the limitations and,
more importantly, of the vast potential of this extremely important sector of
nanotechnology.