Accessibility of Nanotube Inner Channels Investigated by Krypton Adsorption
Résumé
Because of their remarkable properties, single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been considered for many potential applications in nanoelectronics, as scanning probes, as gas sensors or for field emission displays. Such bulk applications demand large quantities of this material with high purity and homogeneous properties. A high pressure carbon monoxide disproportionation (HiPco) process is one of the several approaches currently attempting to meet these demands. This technique has been shown to produce nanotubes of good purity. However purification procedures involving acid treatment and/or air-oxidation are still indispensable to remove impurities. But it is well known that purification introduces some detrimental effects such as damaging the tubes or modifying their surfaces through addition of functional groups. Consequently, characterization of purified samples is necessary. In this work, we report the characterization of HiPco SWCNTs by krypton Kr adsorption at 77.3 K in order to analyze the effects of purification on the bundle surface.