Adsorption of CF4 on the internal and external surfaces of opened single-walled carbon nanotubes: a vibrational spectroscopy study

Proton transfer reaction confined within carbon nanotubes: Density functional theory and quantitative structure–property relationship analysis

In this work, we focus our attention on chemical reactions confined within carbon nanotubes. As a result of the confinement within carbon nanotubes, novel physical and chemical properties are found for the confined materials. We consider the feasibility of proton transfer inside carbon nanotubes. To do that, we have chosen formamide as the simplest real model for exhibiting the tautomerization in DNA. We have used the quantitative structure–property relationship method, based on geometry optimization and quantum chemical structural descriptors, to illustrate the potential of using the confined space inside carbon nanotubes, which will provide comprehensive information about carbon nanotubes. All calculations have been carried out using density functional theory quantum calculations with the B3LYP functional. The geometries optimized by the Gaussian program were transferred to the computer software DRAGON to calculate pertinent descriptors that could be used in the quantitative structure–property relationship model.

The nature of small molecules adsorbed on defective carbon nanotubes

In this work, we perform a comprehensive theoretical study on adsorption of representative 10-electron molecules H2O, CH4 and NH3 onto defective single-walled carbon nanotubes. Results of adsorption energy and charge transfer reveal the existence of both chemical adsorption (CA) and physical adsorption (PA). While PA processes are common for all molecules, CA could be further achieved by the polar molecule NH3, whose lone-pair electrons makes it easier to be bonded with the defective nanotube. Our systematic work could contribute to the understanding on intermolecular interactions and the design of future molecular detectors.

Mapping the dynamics of methanol and xenon co-adsorption in SWNTs by in situ continuous-flow hyperpolarized 129Xe NMR

A comparative study of the dynamics of methanol in SWNTs and MCM-41 was performed by in situ continuous-flow laser-hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe NMR.

Mechanism and Application of Carbon Nanotube Sensors in SF6 Decomposed Production Detection: a Review

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have aroused extensive attentions as a new category of gas sensor materials owing to their outstanding performance for detecting specific gas among a variety of ones through diverse gas responses. This review summarizes the adsorption mechanism of CNTs and their properties related to the detection of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) decomposed gases that generated in gas insulation switchgear (GIS) of power system. Their performances as sensors of both experimental analysis and theoretical calculation for various kinds of decomposed gases are summarized, and the further research trend on CNTs in the detection of SF6 decomposition components is also put forward.

DFT, QTAIM, and NBO investigations of the ability of the Fe or Ni doped CNT to absorb and sense CO and NO

The structures and intramolecular interactions of complexes (FeCNT-CO, FeCNT-NO, NiCNT-CO, and NiCNT-NO) formed by the Fe or Ni doped single-wall carbon nanotube (FeCNT or NiCNT) and gas CO or NO were studied using density functional theory, quantum theory of atom in molecule (QTAIM), and natural bond orbital methods. The adsorption processes of CO and NO on surfaces of FeCNT and NiCNT are chemisorption, energetically favored, exothermic, and spontaneous. High temperature is not good for adsorption. Introducing NO more obviously elongates the distances between Fe/Ni and C atoms and decreases ∠CFe(Ni)C than adding CO. QTAIM analysis shows that the covalent bonding interactions of FeCNT-NO (NiCNT-NO) are stronger than that of FeCNT-CO (NiCNT-CO). NO plays a role of electron acceptor while CO is electron donator in complexes. Electrostatic interaction of FeCNT-NO (NiCNT-NO) is stronger than that of FeCNT-CO (NiCNT-CO). The stronger intramolecular interactions of FeCNT-NO and NiCNT-NO reveal that FeCNT and NiCNT are more effective to adsorb and sense NO than CO. CO and NO considerably change the electronic properties of FeCNT and NiCNT, which is useful for designing sensors for CO and NO.

Sonication-induced effects on carbon nanofibres in composite materials

The preparation, characterization and filling of carbon nanofibre–gellan gum composite materials is presented.

Molecular interactions with ice: molecular embedding, adsorption, detection, and release

The interaction of atomic and molecular species with water and ice is of fundamental importance for chemistry. In a previous series of publications, we demonstrated that translational energy activates the embedding of Xe and Kr atoms in the near surface region of ice surfaces. In this paper, we show that inert molecular species may be absorbed in a similar fashion. We also revisit Xe embedding, and further probe the nature of the absorption into the selvedge. CF4 molecules with high translational energies (≥3 eV) were observed to embed in amorphous solid water. Just as with Xe, the initial adsorption rate is strongly activated by translational energy, but the CF4 embedding probability is much less than for Xe. In addition, a larger molecule, SF6, did not embed at the same translational energies that both CF4 and Xe embedded. The embedding rate for a given energy thus goes in the order Xe > CF4 > SF6. We do not have as much data for Kr, but it appears to have a rate that is between that of Xe and CF4. Tentatively, this order suggests that for Xe and CF4, which have similar van der Waals radii, the momentum is the key factor in determining whether the incident atom or molecule can penetrate deeply enough below the surface to embed. The more massive SF6 molecule also has a larger van der Waals radius, which appears to prevent it from stably embedding in the selvedge. We also determined that the maximum depth of embedding is less than the equivalent of four layers of hexagonal ice, while some of the atoms just below the ice surface can escape before ice desorption begins. These results show that energetic ballistic embedding in ice is a general phenomenon, and represents a significant new channel by which incident species can be trapped under conditions where they would otherwise not be bound stably as surface adsorbates. These findings have implications for many fields including environmental science, trace gas collection and release, and the chemical composition of astrophysical icy bodies in space.

Effect of substitutionally boron-doped single-walled semiconducting zigzag carbon nanotubes on ammonia adsorption

We investigate the binding of ammonia on intrinsic and substitutionally doped semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on the side walls using density functional calculations. Ammonia is found to be weakly physisorbed on intrinsic semiconducting nanotubes while on substitutional doping with boron its affinity is enhanced considerably reflected with increase in binding energies and charge transfer. This is attributed to the strong chemical interaction between electron rich nitrogen of ammonia and electron deficient boron of the doped SWCNT. On doping, the density of states are changed compared to the intrinsic case and additional levels are formed near the Fermi level leading to overlap of levels with that of ammonia indicating charge transfer. The doped SWCNTs thus are expected to be a potential candidate for detecting ammonia.

Molecular recognition at the nanoscale interface within carbon nanotube bundles

Molecular adsorption onto carbon nanotube surfaces is one of the important topics in the science and technology of carbon nanotubes due to their specific 1D structures with very high aspect ratios. In order to reveal the effect of bundles of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on molecular adsorption at the molecular level, we introduce an HPLC system; namely, we fabricated HPLC columns coated with bundled-SWNTs, isolated-SWNTs or graphene as the stationary HPLC phase, and discovered that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons having a one-dimensional shape, such as p-terphenyl and anthracene, exhibit an unusually high affinity to the bundled SWNTs compared to that of the isolated SWNTs. In contrast, no such notable specificity was obtained on a graphene-coated HPLC column. These results indicated that grooves with one-dimensional structures formed by the SWNT-bundles provide a favorable spatial geometry for the specific molecular recognition of aromatic hydrocarbons.

Dependence of single-walled carbon nanotube adsorption kinetics on temperature and binding energy

We present results for the isothermal adsorption kinetics of methane, hydrogen, and tetrafluoromethane on closed-ended single-walled carbon nanotubes. In these experiments, we monitor the pressure decrease as a function of time as equilibrium is approached, after a dose of gas is added to the cell containing the nanotubes. The measurements were performed at different fractional coverages limited to the first layer. The results indicate that, for a given coverage and temperature, the equilibration time is an increasing function of E/(k(B)T), where E is the binding energy of the adsorbate and k(B)T is the thermal energy. These findings are consistent with recent theoretical predictions and computer simulations results that we use to interpret the experimental measurements.

Molecular views of physical adsorption inside and outside of single-wall carbon nanotubes

We discuss our own studies of molecular adsorption on and inside of single-wall carbon nanotubes in the broader context of important theoretical and experimental developments in the field. We show that adsorption in the nanotube interior sites as well as in the groove and exterior sites may be resolved by various experimental methods. In addition, the changes that the adsorbate phases undergo due to confinement in the nanotube interior are discussed, particularly focusing on confined molecules of water, alkanes, and an alkene. Attention is also devoted to the use of oxidizing agents such as ozone to open the ends and walls of nanotubes for interior adsorption.

Characterization of single wall carbon nanotubes by means of rare gas adsorption

Based on the formalisms of Langmuir and Fowler, theoretical adsorption isotherms are calculated for different bundle geometries of single wall carbon nanotubes in a triangular lattice. The authors show the dependence of the adsorption properties on the nanotube diameter and on the specific morphology of the bundles they constitute. The authors demonstrate how isotherm curve analysis can help to experimentally determine what kinds of tubes form a given bundle and the ratio of open to closed tubes in a sample having undergone a complete or incomplete opening protocol. In spite of the model's simplicity, quite satisfactory agreement is observed between experiments and the authors' calculations.

Unusual Hydrogen Bonding in Water-Filled Carbon Nanotubes

We present the first experimental vibrational spectroscopy study providing direct evidence of a water phase inside single-walled carbon nanotubes that exhibits an unusual form of hydrogen-bonding due to confinement. Water adopts a stacked-ring structure inside nanotubes, forming intra- and inter-ring hydrogen bonds. The intra-ring hydrogen bonds are bulk-like while the inter-ring hydrogen bonds are relatively weak, having a distorted geometry that gives rise to a distinct OH stretching mode. The experimentally observed infrared mode at 3507 cm(-1) is assigned to vibrations of the inter-ring OH-groups based on detailed atomic-level modeling. The direct observation of unusual hydrogen bonding in nanotubes has potential implications for water in other highly confined systems, such as biological channels and nanoporous media.

Monte Carlo simulation for the adsorption and separation of linear and branched alkanes in IRMOF-1

The adsorption and separation of linear and branched alkanes in the isoreticular metal-organic framework IRMOF-1 have been investigated using Monte Carlo simulation. For pure linear alkanes (C1-nC5), the limiting adsorption properties exhibit linear behavior with the alkane carbon number; the long alkane is preferentially adsorbed over the short alkane at low fugacities, whereas the reverse is found at high fugacities. For pure branched alkanes (C5 isomers), the linear isomer adsorbs more than its branched analogue. The adsorbed amounts of pure alkanes in IRMOF-1 are substantially greater than in a carbon nanotube bundle and in silicalite. For a five-component mixture of C1 to nC5 linear alkanes, the long alkane adsorption first increases and then decreases with increasing fugacity, whereas short alkane adsorption continually increases and progressively replaces the long alkane at high fugacity due to the size entropy effect. For a three-component mixture of C5 isomers, the adsorption of each isomer increases with increasing fugacity until saturation, though there is less adsorption of the branched isomer due to the configurational entropy effect. The adsorption selectivity among the alkanes in IRMOF-1 is smaller than in a carbon nanotube bundle and in silicalite.

Ozonization at the Vacancy Defect Site of the Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube

The ozonization at the vacancy defect site of the single-walled carbon nanotube has been studied by static quantum mechanics and atom-centered density matrix propagation based ab initio molecular dynamics within a two-layered ONIOM approach. Among five different reaction pathways at the vacancy defect, the reaction involving the unsaturated active carbon atom is the most probable pathway, where ozone undergoes fast dissociation at the active carbon atom at 300 K. Complementary to the experiments, our work provides a microscopic understanding of the ozonization at the vacancy defect site of the single-walled carbon nanotube.

CF4 on Carbon Nanotubes: Physisorption on Grooves and External Surfaces

We present the combined results of a computer simulation and adsorption isotherm investigation of CF4 films on purified HiPco nanotubes. The experimental measurements found two substeps in the adsorption data. The specific surface area of the sample and the coverage dependence of the isosteric heat of adsorption of the films were determined from the measurements. The simulations, conducted for homogeneous bundles of close-ended tubes, also found two substeps in the first layer data: one corresponding to adsorption on the grooves and a second one, at higher pressures, corresponding to adsorption on the outside surface of the tubes. Our computer simulations are in very good agreement with the experimental data.

Noncovalent interactions of molecules with single walled carbon nanotubes

In this critical review we survey non-covalent interactions of carbon nanotubes with molecular species from a chemical perspective, particularly emphasising the relationship between the structure and dynamics of these structures and their functional properties. We demonstrate the synergistic character of the nanotube-molecule interactions, as molecules that affect nanotube properties are also altered by the presence of the nanotube. The diversity of mechanisms of molecule-nanotube interactions and the range of experimental techniques employed for their characterisation are illustrated by examples from recent reports. Some practical applications for carbon nanotubes involved in non-covalent interactions with molecules are discussed.

Raman spectroscopic investigation of gas interactions with an aligned multiwalled carbon nanotube membrane

Raman spectroscopy has been used to investigate ethane, propane, and SF6 interactions with an aligned multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) membrane. Pressures of 7.5-9.3 atm and temperatures of 293-333 K were examined for propane and SF6, whereas slightly lower temperatures (263-293 K) and pressures (6.7-7.5 atm) were used for ethane. Red-shifting and broadening is seen for the C-C stretching vibrations of the two hydrocarbons, as well as for the A1g symmetric vibration (nu1) of SF6. These spectral features indicate that the interaction between the gas and the nanotube membrane is capable of perturbing molecular vibrations and creating red-shifted features. Control experiments done on polycrystalline graphite and a polystyrene blank indicate that this spectral behavior is unique to gases interacting with the nanotubes in the membrane.

Adsorption of xenon on purified HiPco single walled carbon nanotubes

We have measured adsorption of xenon on purified HiPco single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) for coverages in the first layer. We compare the results on this substrate to those our group obtained in earlier measurements on lower purity arc-discharge produced nanotubes. To obtain an estimate for the binding energy of Xe, we measured five low-coverage isotherms for temperatures between 220 and 260 K. We determined a value of 256 meV for the binding energy; this value is 9% lower than the value we found for arc discharge nanotubes and is 1.59 times the value found for this quantity on planar graphite. We have measured five full monolayer isotherms between 150 and 175 K. We have used these data to obtain the coverage dependence of the isosteric heat. The experimental values obtained are compared with previously published computer simulation results for this quantity.

Continued growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes

We demonstrate the continued growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) from ordered arrays of open-ended SWNTs in a way analogous to epitaxy. Nanometer-sized metal catalysts were docked to the SWNT open ends and subsequently activated to restart growth. SWNTs thus grown inherit the diameters and chirality from the seeded SWNTs, as indicated by the closely matched frequencies of Raman radial breathing modes before and after the growth.

Interaction of Water with Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: Reaction and Adsorption

The interaction of water vapor with carbon nanotubes at room temperature has been investigated using Fourier transform (FT) IR spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. FTIR data indicate that water molecules adsorb on single-walled carbon nanotubes at room temperature. Comparison to previous studies suggests that the water forms hydrogen-bonded structures inside the nanotubes. Analysis of the FTIR data demonstrates that a small number of water molecules react with the nanotubes, forming C-O bonds, whereas a majority of the water molecules adsorb intact. The DFT calculations show that cleavage of an O-H bond upon adsorption to form adsorbed -H and -OH groups is energetically favorable at defect sites on nanotubes.

Etching of carbon nanotubes by ozone--a surface area study

The oxidative etching of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) is useful for opening the end caps and the sidewalls of the nanotubes to provide access to the interior. We have studied the effect of successive treatment of SWNTs by 95% pure O(3)(g), which is a powerful and convenient oxidizing agent. The surface area of the SWNTs was measured following exposure to O(3)(g) at 300 K and also following heating to 1073 K in a vacuum to decompose the oxidized groups on the nanotubes, a procedure called etching. This O(3)-induced etching process was observed by scanning electron microscopy and by transmission electron microscopy, and the kinetics of the process was studied gravimetrically. It was found that O(3) attack occurs preferentially on the outermost geometric surface of the conglomerate sample of the nanotubes as a result of the high efficiency of O(3) to react in a few collisions with the nanotube surface. Ozone-induced etching causes the loss of pores in the 20 A diameter range as observed by nitrogen adsorption at equilibrium by density functional theory analysis.

Controlled Confinement and Release of Gases in Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Bundles

A simple procedure is described that locks small quantities of SF6, CO2, and 13CO2 into opened single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) bundles and keeps the gas in the SWNTs above the desorption temperature of these molecules. The technique involves opening the SWNTs with ozonolysis at 300 K followed by vacuum-annealing at 700 K. Gases are then cryogenically adsorbed into the opened SWNTs and locked into the SWNT pores by functionalizing the sample with a low-temperature ozone treatment. The low-temperature ozone treatment functionalizes the entry ports into the SWNT pores, which in turn create a physical barrier for gases trying to desorb through these functionalized ports. The samples are stable under vacuum for periods of at least 24 h, and the trapped gases can be released by vacuum-heating to 700 K. Reduced quantities of the trapped gases remain in the SWNTs even after exposure to room air. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy is used to monitor the functionalities resulting from the ozone treatment and to detect the trapped gas species.