Formation of CO(x)-free H2 and cup-stacked carbon nanotubes over nano-Ni dispersed single wall carbon nanohorns

Transitional metals (M) were dispersed on single-wall carbon nanohorns (M/SWCNHs, M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) by simple thermal treatment of the deposited metal nitrate without H(2) reduction. Nanometallic Ni particles on SWCNH were evidenced by high-resolution transmission electron microscopic observation and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The nano-Ni dispersed on SWCNH showed the highest CH(4) decomposition activity; the activity of used transitional metals decreases in the order Ni ? Co > Fe ? Cu. On the other hand, the reaction rate over Ni/SWCNH was much larger than that over Ni/Al(2)O(3), and the former provided CO(x)-free H(2) and cup-stacked carbon nanotubes, while Ni/Al(2)O(3) produced CO(x) in addition to H(2). SWCNH was superior to Al(2)O(3) as the catalyst support of Ni for the CH(4) decomposition reaction.     

M1 states in 58Ni observed by proton inelastic scattering at 65 MeV

Inelastic proton scattering at 65 MeV was used to study 1⁺ states in ⁵⁸Ni. A new 1⁺ state was found at an excitation of 5.166 MeV. The angular distributions for the 1⁺ states at 2.903 and 5.166 MeV were well reproduced by a DWBA calculation under the assumptions of pure $\text{v(}\text{p}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>3</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>5</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{)}\text{and}\text{v(}\text{p}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>3</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{p}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{)}$ configurations, respectively. The angular distribution for the previously suggested 1⁺ state at 7.721 MeV was not well discribed by the DWBA calculation with the isoscalar $\text{(}\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>7</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>5</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{)}$ wave function. The shape of the angular distribution for the 10.672 MeV, 1⁺ state was well reproduced by the DWBA calculation with the isovector $\text{(}\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>7</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>5</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{)}$ wave function.     

Vibrational analysis of double-walled carbon nanotubes with inner and outer nanotubes of different lengths

In this study, the Euler-Bernoulli beam model is used to analyze the resonant vibration of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) with inner and outer nanotubes of different lengths. The resonant properties of DWCNTs with different inner and outer nanotube lengths are investigated in detail using this theoretical approach. The resonant vibration is significantly affected by the vibrational modes of the DWCNTs, and by the lengths of the inner and outer nanotubes. For an inner or outer nanotube of constant length, the vibrational frequencies of the DWCNTs increase initially and then decrease as the length of another nanotube increases. A design for nanoelectromechanical devices that operate at various frequencies can be realized by controlling the length of the inner and outer nanotubes of DWCNTs. This investigation may be helpful in applications of carbon nanotubes such as high frequency oscillators, dynamic mechanical analysis and mechanical sensors.     

Anomaly of CH4 molecular assembly confined in single-wall carbon nanohorn spaces

Vibrational-rotational properties of CH(4) adsorbed on the nanopores of single-wall carbon nanohorns (SWCNHs) at 105-140 K were investigated using IR spectroscopy. The difference vibrational-rotational bands of the ν(3) and ν(4) modes below 130 K show suppression of the P and R branches, while the Q branches remain. The widths of the Q branches are much narrower than in the bulk gas phase due to suppression of the Doppler effect. These results indicate that the rotation of CH(4) confined in the nanospaces of SWCNHs is highly restricted, resulting in a rigid assembly structure, which is an anomaly in contrast to that in the bulk liquid phase.     

Sodium chloride-catalyzed oxidation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes for environmental benefit

A sodium chloride (NaCl) catalyst (0.1 w/w %) lowers the oxidation temperature of graphitized multiwalled carbon nanotubes: MWCNT-20 (diameter: 20-70 nm) and MWCNT-80 (diameter: 80-150 nm). The analysis of the reaction kinetics indicates that the oxidation of MWCNT-20 and MWCNT-80 mixed with no NaCl exhibits single reaction processes with activation energies of E(a) = 159 and 152 kJ mol(-1), respectively. The oxidation reaction in the presence of NaCl is shown to consist of two different reaction processes, that is, a first reaction and a second reaction process. The first reaction process is dominant at a low temperature of around 600 degrees C, while the second reaction process becomes more dominant than the first one in a higher temperature region. The activation energies of the first reaction processes (MWCNT-20: E(a1) = 35.7 kJ mol(-1); MWCNT-80: E(a1) = 43.5 kJ mol(-1)) are much smaller than those of the second reaction processes (MWCNT-20: E(a2) = 170 kJ mol(-1); MWCNT-80: E(a2) = 171 kJ mol(-1)). The comparison of the kinetic parameters and the results of the spectroscopic and microscopic analyses imply that the lowering of the oxidation temperature in the presence of NaCl results from the introduction of disorder into the graphitized MWCNTs (during the first reaction process), thus increasing the facility of the oxidation reaction of the disorder-induced nanotubes (in the second reaction process). It is found that the larger nanopits and cracks on the outer graphitic layers are caused by the catalytic effect of NaCl. Therefore, the NaCl-mixed samples showed more rapid and stronger oxidation compared with that of the nonmixed samples at the same residual quantity.     

Efficient H2 adsorption by nanopores of high-purity double-walled carbon nanotubes

DWNT buckypaper adsorbed much more hydrogen than did a SWNT bundle. XRD measurements and GCMC simulation results suggested that the DWNT bundle is loosely packed into an hexagonal array with interstitial pores which can efficiently adsorb H2 molecules.     

Role of multi-step processes in 16O(11B,12C)15N at 41.25 MeV

The ¹⁶O(¹¹B,¹²C)¹⁵N reaction at 41.25 MeV has been investigated using the kinematical coincidence method. Polarization tensors t₂₀ and t₄₀ of ¹²C[2⁺ ₁] for the quantization axis taken along the direction of propagation have been measured at center-of-mass angles (Θ_c.m.) between 48^° and 62^° by analyzing the energy spectrum of ¹²C[2⁺ ₁] modulated by the effect of γ-ray emission. The cross-sections of the transfer reactions leading to the ¹²C[g.s.]+¹⁵N[g.s.], ¹²C[2⁺ ₁]+¹⁵N[g.s.] and ¹²C[g.s.]+¹⁵N[3/2^- ₁] final states have also been measured in the range 48^°≤Θ_c.m.≤ 120^°. The polarization tensor terms of ¹²C[2⁺ ₁] largely deviating from zero have been observed, contrary to the prediction by the distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA). The one-step DWBA calculation also fails in describing the transfer reaction cross-sections. It is shown that the coupled channel model calculation including excitations and reorientations in ¹¹B and ¹²C satisfactorily reproduces both the tensor terms and the cross-sections of the transfer reactions. The multi-step processes passing through the excited states of ¹¹B are found to significantly contribute to the reaction. Received: 3 July 2000 / Accepted: 15 September 2000     

Application of carbon fibers to biomaterials: a new era of nano-level control of carbon fibers after 30-years of development

Carbon fibers are state-of-the-art materials with properties that include being light weight, high strength, and chemically stable, and are applied in various fields including aeronautical science and space science. Investigation of applications of carbon fibers to biomaterials was started 30 or more years ago, and various products have been developed. Because the latest technological progress has realized nano-level control of carbon fibers, applications to biomaterials have also progressed to the age of nano-size. Carbon fibers with diameters in the nano-scale (carbon nanofibers) dramatically improve the functions of conventional biomaterials and make the development of new composite materials possible. Carbon nanofibers also open possibilities for new applications in regenerative medicine and cancer treatment. The first three-dimensional constructions with carbon nanofibers have been realized, and it has been found that the materials could be used as excellent scaffolding for bone tissue regeneration. In this critical review, we summarize the history of carbon fiber application to the biomaterials and describe future perspectives in the new age of nano-level control of carbon fibers (122 references).     

Freezing-out of nuclear polarization in radioactive core ions of microclusters, “snowballs” in superfluid helium

A novel method was tried successfully to trap ions and to freeze out their nuclear polarization inside aggregates of helium atoms, snowballs, in superfluid helium. Spin polarized¹²B (T _1/2=20.4 ms) ions were introduced into superfluid helium and snowballs were created around the impinged impurity ions. Beta-ray asymmetry was measured to obtain the nuclear polarization of decaying¹²B. The comparison with the initial value of¹²B polarization produces that no relaxation in polarization was observed throughout lifetime of¹²B.