Hydrogen-bonded and physisorbed CO in single-walled carbon nanotube bundles

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy is used to study CO adsorption in single-walled carbon nanotubes. Evidence for adsorption in endohedral and groove/external surface sites is presented through displacement studies involving both CO and CO2. Blue-shifted CO stretching frequencies also indicate that CO hydrogen bonds to hydroxyl functionalities created on the nanotubes by acid purification steps. N2 surface area measurements are used to further understand the porosity of the nanotube samples and to help explain the spectroscopic results.