Elastic neutron scattering studies of the structure of graphite intercalated with potassium and ammonia

4-Nitrobenzylamine partially intercalated into graphite powder and multiwalled carbon nanotubes: characterization using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and in situ atomic force microscopy

We report the characterization of partial intercalation of 4-nitrobenzylamine (4-NBA) into edge-plane or edge-plane-like defect sites on the surface of both graphite powder and "bamboo-like" multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). By comparing the XPS spectra of 4-NBA derivatized graphite powder and MWCNTs with that of graphite powder treated with benzylamine in a similar fashion, we conclude that benzylamine itself does not undergo partial intercalation. Using in situ atomic force microscopy, we are able to observe the partial intercalation of 4-NBA into an edge-plane-like "step" defect on the surface of a highly ordered pyrolytic graphite crystal in real time. Together these observations provide further evidence for the partial intercalation of 4-NBA and lead us to propose a new hypothesis to explain this phenomenon.

Graphite Powder and Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Chemically Modified with 4-Nitrobenzylamine

We demonstrate that graphite powder and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) can be derivatised by 4-nitrobenzylamine (4-NBA) simply by stirring the graphite powder or MWCNTs in a solution of acetonitrile containing 10 mM 4-NBA. We propose that 4-NBA partially intercalates at localised edge-plane or edge-plane-like defect sites and this hypothesis with a range of experimental data provided by electrochemistry in both aqueous and nonaqueous media, electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction.