Magnetization of carbon nanotubes

For narrow-gap carbon nanotubes, the curvature effect due to the misorientation of 2p_z orbitals dominates over electronic structures and thus magnetic properties. It significantly changes magnetization and magnetic susceptibility, and creates special structures in them. There exists a critical field direction in changing magnetism. The critical angle strongly depends on the chiral angle, the nanotube radius, and the temperature. One-dimensional carbon nanotubes are quite different from zero-dimensional carbon tori, such as in terms of special structures in magnetization, the strength of the magnetic response, and the critical angle.     

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.     

Effects of viscous fluid on wave propagation in carbon nanotubes

In this Letter, the effects of the viscous fluid on the propagation characteristics of elastic waves in carbon nanotubes are studied. Based on the nonlocal continuum theory, the small scales effects are also considered. The equations of wave motion are derived and the dispersion relation is presented. Numerical simulations are performed with the consideration of different scale coefficients to discuss the influence of the viscous fluid. From the results, it can be observed that the dispersion relation can be changed by the fluid viscosity obviously. Moreover, due to the fluid viscosity, the wave frequency will be reduced to a low region and the elastic wave behaviors can be significantly influenced by the viscous fluid velocity.     

Damping of electron Zitterbewegung in carbon nanotubes

Zitterbewegung (ZB, trembling motion) of electrons in semiconductor carbon nanotubes is described taking into account dephasing processes. The density matrix formalism is used for the theory. Differences between decay of ZB oscillations due to electron localization and that due to dephasing are discussed.     

Investigation of electrical transport in hydrogenated multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Highly disordered multiwalled carbon nanotubes of large outer diameter (∼60 nm) fabricated by means of chemical vapor deposition process inside porous alumina templates exhibit ferromagnetism when annealed in a H₂/Ar atmosphere. In the presence of an applied magnetic field, there is a transition from positive to negative magnetoresistance. The transition may be explained in terms of the Bright model for ordered and disordered carbon structures. Additionally, temperature dependent electrical transport experiments exhibit a zero-bias anomaly at low temperature.     

Synthesis and characterization of carbon nanotubes on carbon microfibers by floating catalyst method

In this paper, carbon nanotubes were synthesized on carbon microfibers by floating catalyst method with the pretreatment of carbon microfibers at the temperature of 1023 K, using C₂H₂ as carbon source and N₂ as carrier gas. The morphology and microstructure of carbon nanotubes were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The composition of carbon nanotubes was determined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The results showed that the surface of treated carbon microfibers was thickly covered by carbon nanotubes with diameters of about 50 nm. EDX image indicated that the composition of carbon nanotubes was carbon. In comparison with the sample grown on untreated carbon microfibers surface, it was found that after carbon microfibers were boiled in the solution of sulfur acid and nitric acid (VH₂SO₄:VHNO₃ = 1:3) and immersed in the solution of iron nitrate and xylene, carbon nanotubes with uniform density can be grown on carbon microfibers surface. Based on the results, we concluded that the pretreatment of carbon microfibers had great effect on the growth of carbon nanotubes by floating catalyst method.     

One-step preparation of water-soluble single-walled carbon nanotubes

A novel one-step process using potassium persulfate (KPS) as oxidant is proposed in this paper to prepare water-soluble single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). The process without the need for organic solvents and acids is a low-cost, eco-friendly, facile method. Morphology observation by atomic force microscopy (AFM) indicates that the KPS-treated SWNTs were effectively debundled without obvious shortening in their length. The functional groups and thermal stability of the treated SWNTs were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). XPS results show that several functional groups such as potassium carboxylate (-COOK), carbonyl (-CO) and hydroxyl (-C-OH) groups were formed on the surfaces of the SWNTs, while the TGA results reveal that the quantity of the functional groups can reach to approximately 20%.     

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.     

Preparation and luminescence study of Eu(III) titanate nanotubes and nanowires using carbon nanotubes as removable templates

Eu(III) titanate nanotubes and nanowires have been successfully synthesized by solvothermal method using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as removable templates. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis. It is demonstrated that CNTs are fully coated with an amorphous Eu₂(TiO₃)₃ layer, which is about 10 nm thick and almost continuous and uniform. After the Eu₂(TiO₃)₃/CNTs composites have been calcined at various temperatures, Eu₂(TiO₃)₃ nanotubes and nanowires are obtained by removing the CNTs templates. The diameter of the Eu₂(TiO₃)₃ nanotubes is 40–60 nm, which is consistent with that of CNTs. Both nanotubes and nanowires have a narrow distribution of diameters. The fluorescence properties of the Eu₂(TiO₃)₃ nanotubes and nanowires calcined at various temperatures have been investigated. The results indicate that when the Eu₂(TiO₃)₃/CNTs composites were calcined at 700 °C for 5 h, the Eu₂(TiO₃)₃ nanotubes obtained can be effectively excited by 395 nm light, and exhibit strong red emission around 616 nm. It is very interesting to discover that a few residual carbons doped in Eu₂(TiO₃)₃ nanotubes and many oxygen vacancies could promote the intensity of red emission peak of Eu³⁺ ions. In addition, Eu₂(TiO₃)₃ nanowires calcined at 900 °C for 5 h also have a strong red emission peak due to many oxygen vacancies and defects formed on the surface of the nanowires and inside them.     

碳纳米管在储氢上的应用

氢能是一种理想的能源载体,而经济有效的储氢手段是氢能实现规模应用急需解决的关键问题之一。碳纳米管在存储氢气上表现出来的独特性质,使其最有希望成为一种新的高效的储氢材料。从实验、理论研究两个方面总结了前人在碳纳米管储氢上的研究成果,并对碳纳米管储氢吸附方式,吸附量影响因素等方面做出分析。最后指出为实现碳纳米管储氢大规模应用仍需做的一些基础性研究工作。     

Biological functionalization and fluorescent imaging of carbon nanotubes

Biofunctionalization and manipulating of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is important for biomedical research and application. Cy5 labeled goat anti-rabbit IgG (anti-IgG-Cy5) is chemically bonded to CNTs via a two-step process of diimide-activated amidation. This process can avoid the intermolecular connection of proteins. Fluorescent imaging of CNTs in aqueous solution has been demonstrated using anti-IgG-Cy5 immobilized CNTs (IgG-CNTs) as the model. The biologically functionalized carbon nanotubes (f-CNTs) in solution have been observed successfully using fluorescence microscopy. The fluorescent image of highly oriented f-CNTs is obtained at first time. The influencing factors on fluorescent imaging including oxidation duration, background noise and reactant concentration are discussed.     

Preparation of carbon nanosheets deposited on carbon nanotubes by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method

Carbon nanosheets were synthesized by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method on carbon nanotubes substrate which was treated by hydrogen plasma. The results showed that the diameters of carbon nanotubes first got thick and then “petal-like” carbon nanosheets were grown on the outer wall of carbon nanotubes. The diameters of carbon nanotubes without and with carbon nanosheets were 100-150 and 300-500 nm, respectively. Raman spectrum indicated the graphite structure of carbon nanotubes/carbon nanosheets. The hydrogen plasma treatment and reaction time greatly affected the growth and density of carbon nanosheets. Based on above results, carbon nanosheets/carbon nanotubes probably have important applications as cold cathode materials and electrode materials.     

Dust ion-acoustic wave oscillations in single-walled carbon nanotubes

In this paper, a charged single-walled carbon nanotube that surrounded by charged nanoparticles is modeled as a cylindrical shell of electron–ion–dust plasma. By employing the fluid theory for electron–ion–dust plasma, the dispersion relation of the dust ion-acoustic wave oscillations in the composed system is studied. For negatively charged dust particles, with increasing dust charge density, the phase velocity of the dust ion-acoustic wave will increase in comparison to the pure ion-acoustic wave oscillations.     

Impact of Mo and Ce on growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes by chemical vapour deposition using MgO-supported Fe catalysts

A series of nine catalysts containing Ce/Fe and Mo/Fe at various loadings on MgO supports have been studied as catalysts for chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) using a methane carbon source. Our results show that the Ce/Fe system is very suitable as a catalyst that favours SWCNT growth, and we question the special importance that has been attributed to Mo as an additive to Fe-based catalysts for SWCNT growth, as it appears that Ce is equally effective. Our results indicate that dehydroaromatization (DHA) is not a defining step for the growth mechanism, as has been suggested for Mo/Fe systems previously, and show that Ce and Mo do not seriously perturb the well-known Fe/MgO system for growth of high quality SWCNT. Using Raman spectroscopy, we have shown that the Ce/Fe/MgO catalyst system favours growth of SWCNTs with a different distribution of chiralities compared to the analogous Mo/Fe/MgO system.     

Optical studies of carbon nanotubes and nanographites

Resonance Raman and photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectroscopies are used to study the optical properties of different types of carbon nanostructures such as carbon nanotube, nanoribbons, nanographites and graphite edges. In the resonance Raman experiments of carbon nanotubes, the (n,m) assignment is obtained by comparing the experimental and theoretical diameter and chirality dependence of the optical transitions. The influence of the environment on the optical transitions of the nanotubes is also obtained in the Raman experiments. The PLE measurements in different samples of carbon nanotubes show both direct and phonon-assisted optical transitions, and the results give new evidences that the optical transitions in nanotubes have an excitonic character, which is very strong for the low energy transitions. We also analyze the Raman spectra of nanoribbons and nanographites, showing that this technique is an important tool for defect characterization in graphitic materials, and can be used to distinguish the atomic structure of the graphite edges.     

Effect of Pt and Fe catalysts in the transformation of carbon black into carbon nanotubes

In this research carbon nanotubes and carbon nano onion-like structures were synthesized from carbon black using metal catalysts at 400 °C and 700 °C. Platinum and iron-group metals were used as catalysts for the transformation of CB into graphitized nanocarbon and the effect of both metals was compared. The synthesized products were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The characterization shows that this process is very efficient in the synthesis of high quality graphitized products from amorphous carbon black, even though the process temperature was relatively low in comparison with previous studies. Distinguished graphitic walls of the newly formed carbon nanostructures were clearly visible in the HRTEM images. Possible growth difference related to the type of catalyst used is briefly explained with the basis of electron vacancies in d-orbitals of metals.     

碳纳米管负载矾的第一性原理研究

本文基于密度泛函第一性原理研究了原始和带有缺陷的(Stone-Wales缺陷和单空位缺陷)碳纳米管负载金属V的稳定构型.对于V吸附在原始碳纳米管(CNT)上时,V在内表面的吸附比外表面的吸附有更强的相互作用力,且六元环内表面结构最稳定.当V与Stone-Wales缺陷碳纳米管相互作用时,V原子易吸附在管外七元环C-C键的外表面和内表面处,这说明缺陷位置的有效结合使之局域化加强.而以单空位缺陷碳纳米管为载体时V最易吸附在外缺陷处,相当于碳纳米管的一个C被金属V原子取代,形成了3个V-C_(sur)键,这进一步表明SV管外吸附比管内吸附更容易.我们从上述三种构型载体中发现,金属V吸附在缺陷碳纳米管时的稳定性要优于原始碳纳米管,且SV缺陷对金属V的固定效果最好.     

Electric resistivity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes at high temperatures

The electric resistivity of a clean multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) mat sample was studied at temperatures T between 300 and 1900 K. We found that the resistivity ρ decreases monotonously with increasing temperature without showing any sign of turn up. Our results can be well fitted with a power law of T^−α within the framework of one dimensional Luttinger liquid theory with α = 0.13 or with a simple thermally activated inter shell hopping model.     

Oscillation of nested fullerenes (carbon onions) in carbon nanotubes

Nested spherical fullerenes, which are sometimes referred to as carbon onions, of I _h symmetries which have N(n) carbon atoms in the nth shell given by N(n) = 60n ² are studied in this paper. The continuum approximation together with the Lennard-Jones potential is utilized to determine the resultant potential energy. High frequency nanoscale oscillators or gigahertz oscillators created from fullerenes and both single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes have attracted much attention for a number of proposed applications, such as ultra-fast optical filters and ultra-sensitive nano-antennae that might impact on the development of computing and signalling nano-devices. Further, it is only at the nanoscale where such gigahertz frequencies can be achieved. This paper focuses on the interaction of nested fullerenes and the mechanics of such molecules oscillating in carbon nanotubes. Here we investigate such issues as the acceptance condition for nested fullerenes into carbon nanotubes, the total force and energy of the nested fullerenes, and the velocity and gigahertz frequency of the oscillating molecule. In particular, optimum nanotube radii are determined for which nested fullerenes oscillate at maximum velocity and frequency, which will be of considerable benefit for the design of future nano-oscillating devices.     

Preparation and characterization of biocompatible magnetic carbon nanotubes

Magnetic carbon nanotubes consisting of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) core and Fe₃O₄ shell were successfully prepared by in situ thermal decomposition of Fe(acac)₃ or FeCl₃ or Fe(CO)₅ in 2-pyrrolidone containing acid treated MWNTs at 240 °C with the protection of nitrogen gas. The samples were characterized by TEM, XRD, SEAD, XPS and superconducting quantum interference device. Also, their biocompatibility was compared with naked carbon nanotubes. The results showed that after coated with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, the obtained magnetic carbon nanotubes show superparamagnetic characteristic at room temperature, and their blocking temperature is about 80 K. The magnetic properties of the nanotubes are relevant to the content of magnetic particles, increasing content of magnetic nanoparticles leads to higher blocking temperature and saturation magnetization. The results of antimicrobial activities to bacterial cells (Escherichia coli) showed that the MWNTs have antimicrobial activity, while the magnetic nanotubes are biocompatible even with a higher concentration than that of MWNTs.