Functionalization of carbon nanotubes with silver clusters

In this paper, an advanced method of one-step functionalization of single and multi walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs and MWCNTs) using γ-irradiation was described. Two synthesis procedures, related with different reduction species, were employed. For the first time, poly(vinyl alcohol) PVA is successfully utilized as a source to reduce silver (Ag) metal ions without having any additional reducing agents to obtain Ag nanoparticles on CNTs. The decoration of carbon nanotubes with Ag nanoparticles takes place through anchoring of (PVA) on nanotube's surface. Optical properties of as-prepared samples and mechanism responsible for the functionalization of carbon nanotubes were investigated using UV-vis and FTIR spectroscopy, respectively. Decorated carbon nanotubes were visualized using microscopic techniques: transmission electron microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. Also, the presence of Ag on the nanotubes was confirmed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. This simple and effective method of making a carbon nanotube type of composites is of interest not only for an application in various areas of technology and biology, but for investigation of the potential of radiation technology for nanoengineering of materials.     

碳纳米管辐射太赫兹波的理论分析与数值验证

基于简单紧束缚方法理论,利用一维碳纳米管的量子化周期边界条件得到了碳纳米管的电子能级结构关系.并结合已报道的碳纳米管中电子与声子相互作用的实验结果,得到了碳纳米管能够辐射太赫兹波的结论.通过数值结果验证了碳纳米管在外场作用下能够产生太赫兹波,并对数值计算结果中太赫兹波的振荡现象给予合理的解释.其结果为进行碳纳米管产生太赫兹辐射的实验研究提供深入的理论基础. 关键词： 太赫兹波 碳纳米管     

Magnetic phase transitions in TbNi<Subscript>5</Subscript> single crystal: Bulk properties and neutron diffraction studies

The angular dependence of the intensity of CK_α radiation measured from a film of oriented carbon nanotubes shows an increase in the yield of x-ray fluorescence along the growth direction of the nanotubes. The angular distribution of the intensity of scattered x rays is close in magnitude to the angular distribution of the directivity of nanotubes in the film that is determined by analyzing an electron-microscope image. To explain the propagation of radiation along the nanotubes, two mechanisms are proposed on the basis of reflection from inner walls of a tube (channeling) and an anomalous dispersion of CK_α photons in the carbon medium.     

Amplification of terahertz radiation in carbon nanotubes

We investigate theoretically the feasibility of amplification of terahertz radiation in aligned achiral carbon nanotubes, a zigzag (12,0) and an armchair (10,10) in comparison with a superlattice using a combination of a constant direct current (dc) and a high-frequency alternate current (ac) electric fields. The electric current density expression is derived using the semiclassical Boltzmann transport equation with a constant relaxation time. The electric field is applied along the nanotube axis. Analysis of the current density versus electric field characteristics reveals a negative differential conductivity behavior at high frequency, as well as photon assisted peaks. The photon assisted peaks are about an order of magnitude higher in the carbon nanotubes compared to the superlattice. These strong phenomena in carbon nanotubes can be used to obtain domainless amplification of terahertz radiation at room temperature.     

Selective removal of metallic SWNTs using microwave radiation

We report new method for selectively removing the metallic CNTs from semiconducting CNTs in a powder using high-power microwave radiation in the infrared and radio frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum. SWNTs in a powder film were heated in a 2.5 GHz microwave oven for a few minutes, and the metallic nanotubes burned more rapidly than the semiconducting nanotubes. Raman data showed that the ratio of metallic to semiconducting nanotubes decreased dramatically after exposure to microwave radiation. Using their more rapid absorption of the radiation energy of the microwaves, we achieved the selective removal of metallic SWNTs from semiconducting SWNTs. This method results in the high-purity of semiconducting SWNTs necessary for sensor and electronic applications.     

Effect of annealing on the microwave characteristics of carbon nanotubes and the nanocomposite materials based on them

Transmission and reflection spectra of electromagnetic microwave radiation are used to determine the complex permittivity of the composite materials consisting of a dielectric matrix and multiwalled carbon nanotubes subjected to high-temperature annealing in an inert atmosphere. The dependence of the electrical conductivity of multiwalled carbon nanotubes on the annealing temperature in an inert atmosphere is shown to be nonmonotonic.     

Effect of ionizing radiation on structural and conductive properties of copper nanotubes

The use of electron radiation is an effective tool for stimulating a controlled modification of structural and conductive properties of nanomaterials in modern materials science. The paper presents the results of studies of the influence of various types of radiation on structural and conductive properties of copper nanotubes obtained by electrochemical synthesis in pores of templates based on polyethylene terephthalate. Such methods as SEM, X-ray diffraction and EDS show that irradiation with a stream of high-energy electrons with doses of 50–250 kGy makes it possible to modify the crystal structure of nanotubes, increasing their conductivity and decreasing the resistance of nanostructures without destroying the structure.     

Terahertz applications of carbon nanotubes

We formulate and justify several proposals utilizing unique electronic properties of carbon nanotubes for a broad range of applications to THz optoelectronics, including THz generation by hot electrons in quasi-metallic nanotubes, frequency multiplication in chiral-nanotube-based superlattices controlled by a transverse electric field, and THz radiation detection and emission by armchair nanotubes in a strong magnetic field.     

Attenuation of microwave electromagnetic radiation by means of buckypaper

A material based on carbon nanotubes (buckypaper) is prepared, and the size and structural characteristics of initial nanotubes and the prepared buckypaper are studied. The parameters of electromagnetic radiation-buckypaper interaction are derived for the range 25.5–73.3 GHz. Strong reflection and attenuation of the radiation in this range are discovered.     

Microwave-induced electrophilic addition of single-walled carbon nanotubes with alkylhalides

We report the microwave-induced electrophilic addition of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with alkylhalides using Lewis acid as a catalyst followed by hydrolysis. The reaction results in the attachment of alkyl and hydroxyl groups to the surface of the nanotubes. This rapid and high-energy microwave radiation is found to be highly efficient for this reaction, which only needs as low as several minutes. The resulting nanotubes were characterized with FTIR, UV-vis-NIR, Raman, TGA, TEM and AFM. It demonstrates that iodo-alkanes show higher reaction activity with SWNTs than chloro- and bromo-alkanes.     

Carbon nanotube based bolometer

The contacts of single carbon nanotubes and bundles of carbon nanotubes with superconducting and metallic electrodes are investigated in order to create bolometers and electron coolers. Tunneling contacts of the carbon nanotubes with aluminum electrodes are obtained. The current-voltage characteristics of junctions are analyzed for temperatures from room temperature to 300 mK. The resistance of individual nanotubes is primarily determined by defects and is too large for applications. The use of the bundles of carbon nanotubes makes it possible to considerably reduce the resistance of the bolometer, which is determined by a small number of conducting tubes with good tunneling contacts with the electrodes. The energy gap is equal to hundreds and tens of millivolt in the former and latter cases, respectively. Structures containing bundles of carbon nanotubes can be described in a model with a Schottky barrier. The samples with bundles of carbon nanotubes exhibit the bolometric response to external high-frequency radiation at a frequency of 110 GHz with an amplitude up to 100 μV and a temperature voltage response to 0.4 mV/K.     

Complex permittivity of composites based on dielectric matrices with carbon nanotubes

The transmission spectra of microwave electromagnetic radiation interacting with a sample are used to determine the complex permittivity of a composite material based on a two-component epoxy adhesive having a certain volume fraction of inclusions in the form of multilayer carbon nanotubes or fine graphite particles. An inverse problem is solved for the dependence of the complex permittivity of the composite material on the volume fraction of carbon nanotubes, and their permittivity and average bulk electrical conductivity are determined.     

X-ray radiation of laser plasma of carbon nanotubes

Experimental results on the spatial distribution of X-ray radiation of the plasma generated by nanosecond laser radiation incident on a target made of carbon nanotubes are presented and compared with the results obtained for solid-state magnesium targets.     

Characterization of the radiation from single-walled zig-zag carbon nanotubes at terahertz range

This paper investigates the radiation characteristics of metal single-walled zig-zag carbon nanotubes as a dipole antenna at terahertz wave range. The current distribution, input impedance and mutual impedance are calculated for various geometrical parameters of vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes. The numerical results demonstrate the properties of the antenna depending strongly on the geometrical parameters such as the radius, the lengths of carbon nantobues, and the spacing between nanotubes. It is found that the zig-zag carbon nanotubes exhibit very high input impedance and the mutual impedances for antenna array applications. These unique high impedance properties are different from the conventional metal thin wire antenna. The far-field patterns and gain of antenna array are also calculated. The maximum gain of array of 100-element array is up to 20.0~dB, which is larger than the gain of 0.598~dB of single dipole antenna at distance d = 0.5\lambda .     

Zipper mechanism of nanotube fusion: theory and experiment

We propose a new microscopic mechanism to explain the unusually fast fusion process of carbon nanotubes. We identify the detailed pathway for two adjacent (5,5) nanotubes to gradually merge into a (10,10) tube, and characterize the transition states. The propagation of the fused region is energetically favorable and proceeds in a morphology reminiscent of a Y junction via a zipper mechanism, involving only Stone-Wales bond rearrangements with low activation barriers. The zipper mechanism of fusion is supported by a time series of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy observations.     

Enhanced ductile behavior of tensile-elongated individual double-walled and triple-walled carbon nanotubes at high temperatures

We report exceptional ductile behavior in individual double-walled and triple-walled carbon nanotubes at temperatures above 2000 degrees C, with tensile elongation of 190% and diameter reduction of 90%, during in situ tensile-loading experiments conducted inside a high-resolution transmission electron microscope. Concurrent atomic-scale microstructure observations reveal that the superelongation is attributed to a high temperature creep deformation mechanism mediated by atom or vacancy diffusion, dislocation climb, and kink motion at high temperatures. The superelongation in double-walled and triple-walled carbon nanotubes, the creep deformation mechanism, and dislocation climb in carbon nanotubes are reported here for the first time.     

Optical second-harmonic generation in ferroelectric nanowires

Optical second-harmonic generation in ferroelectric nanowires of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) and sodium nitrite embedded into chrysotile-asbestos nanotubes from a melt or solution has been studied. The second-harmonic radiation appears to be polarized, and its intensity is unexpectedly high in comparison with bulk materials. Analysis of the polarization characteristics of the observed signal reveals the possibility of the formation of ferroelectric nanocrystals having the same orientation along the matrix nanotubes and randomly orientated in the plane perpendicular to this direction.     

Numerical investigations of a multi-walled carbon nanotube-based multi-segmented optical antenna

Motivated by the fabrication potential of multi-walled carbon nanotube structures, we numerically investigated a paired structure consisting of two metallic spheres each grown on one end of a multi-walled nanotube. The paired two-segmented structure is capable to convert free-space radiation into an intense near-field, and, hence, acting as an optical antenna. Vice versa the presence of the two nanotubes enable a current source at the antenna feed to more efficiently energy into the radiation modes, resulting e.g. in correspondingly altered luminescence lifetimes when an excited single molecule is placed in the feed point. Furthermore, the structure represents a mean to localize light on a sub-wavelength scale within different materials, which is interesting in the context of a fabrication technology for integrated nanophotonic components with different material combinations. The optical properties of the nano-antenna are analyzed by means of numerical simulations using the finite element method. Our investigations have revealed that the field enhancement, the resonances, and the radiation patterns can be easily tuned since all these quantities strongly depend on the size of the nanotubes and the metallic spheres, as well as on their material properties The structure we propose here carries a great potential for bio-sensing, for tip-enhanced spectroscopy applications, and for interfacing integrated photonic nano circuits.     

Atomistic origin of radial corrugation in a few-walled carbon nanotubes: A molecular dynamics study

We perform molecular dynamics simulations of a few-walled (with 3–4 walls) carbon nanotubes using empirical interatomic potential. We demonstrate that the radial corrugation occurs in such thin nanotubes under hydrostatic pressure, which is apparently similar to the corrugation in thicker (e.g., several tens-walled) nanotubes that had been predicted using continuum mechanics approximation. The mechanism underlying the corrugation of a few-walled nanotubes, however, is found to be much distinct from thick nanotubes; i.e., the sp³ bonds between adjacent concentric walls and registry of atom arrangement take important roles in the formation and stabilization of corrugation modes in a few-walled nanotubes.     

Recovery properties of hydrogen gas sensor with Pd/titanate and Pt/titanate nanotubes photo-catalyst by UV radiation from catalytic poisoning of H2S

Recovery properties after H₂S catalytic poisoning of catalytic-type gas sensor with photo-catalysts and UV radiation have been examined. Each sensing material of the sensor consists of Pd, Pt supported on γ-Al₂O₃ and Pd/titanate, Pt/titanate nanotubes or TiO₂ particles. Pd/titanate and Pt/titanate nanotubes photo-catalyst were synthesized by hydrothermal synthesis method. All the sensors were deactivated after 500 ppm H₂S exposure for 20 h. The sensors with Pd/titanate or Pt/titanate nanotubes showed regenerated voltage response under UV radiation. However the sensor with TiO₂ particles showed negligible regenerated voltage response. Regenerated voltage response with Pd/titanate or Pt/titanate nanotubes may stem from location of Pd or Pt catalyst on the titanate nanotube photo-catalyst.