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Steam Purification for the Removal of Graphitic Shells Coating Catalytic Particles and the Shortening of Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes
Author(s) -
Ballesteros Belén,
Tobias Gerard,
Shao Lidong,
Pellicer Eva,
Nogués Josep,
Mendoza Ernest,
Green Malcolm L.H.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.200701283
Subject(s) - carbon nanotube , materials science , raman spectroscopy , chemical engineering , catalysis , coating , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , high resolution transmission electron microscopy , metal , carbon fibers , thermogravimetric analysis , hydrochloric acid , nanotechnology , inorganic chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , chemistry , metallurgy , composite number , transmission electron microscopy , physics , optics , engineering
Purification and shortening of single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) is carried out by treatment with steam. During the steam purification the graphitic shells coating the catalytic metal particles are removed. Consequently, the exposed catalytic particles can be easily dissolved by treatment with hydrochloric acid. No damage to the carbon nanotube tubular structure is observed, even after prolonged treatment with steam. Samples are characterized by HRTEM, TGA, magnetic measurements, Raman spectroscopy, AFM, and XPS.