TY - JOUR

T1 - Light-induced sulfur transport inside single-walled carbon nanotubes

AU - Sedelnikova, Olga V.

AU - Gurova, Olga A.

AU - Makarova, Anna A.

AU - Fedorenko, Anastasiya D.

AU - Nikolenko, Anton D.

AU - Plyusnin, Pavel E.

AU - Arenal, Raul

AU - Bulusheva, Lyubov G.

AU - Okotrub, Alexander V.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

PY - 2020/4/25

Y1 - 2020/4/25

N2 - Filling of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and extraction of the encapsulated species from their cavities are perspective treatments for tuning the functional properties of SWCNT-based materials. Here, we have investigated sulfur-modified SWCNTs synthesized by the ampoule method. The morphology and chemical states of carbon and sulfur were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy, Raman scattering, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray photoelectron and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopies. Successful encapsulation of sulfur inside SWCNTs cavities was demonstrated. The peculiarities of interactions of SWCNTs with encapsulated and external sulfur species were analyzed in details. In particular, the donor-acceptor interaction between encapsulated sulfur and host SWCNT is experimentally demonstrated. The sulfur-filled SWCNTs were continuously irradiated in situ with polychromatic photon beam of high intensity. Comparison of X-ray spectra of the samples before and after the treatment revealed sulfur transport from the interior to the surface of SWCNTs bundles, in particular extraction of sulfur from the SWCNT cavity. These results show that the moderate heating of filled nanotubes could be used to de-encapsulate the guest species tuning the local composition, and hence, the functional properties of SWCNT-based materials.

AB - Filling of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and extraction of the encapsulated species from their cavities are perspective treatments for tuning the functional properties of SWCNT-based materials. Here, we have investigated sulfur-modified SWCNTs synthesized by the ampoule method. The morphology and chemical states of carbon and sulfur were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy, Raman scattering, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray photoelectron and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopies. Successful encapsulation of sulfur inside SWCNTs cavities was demonstrated. The peculiarities of interactions of SWCNTs with encapsulated and external sulfur species were analyzed in details. In particular, the donor-acceptor interaction between encapsulated sulfur and host SWCNT is experimentally demonstrated. The sulfur-filled SWCNTs were continuously irradiated in situ with polychromatic photon beam of high intensity. Comparison of X-ray spectra of the samples before and after the treatment revealed sulfur transport from the interior to the surface of SWCNTs bundles, in particular extraction of sulfur from the SWCNT cavity. These results show that the moderate heating of filled nanotubes could be used to de-encapsulate the guest species tuning the local composition, and hence, the functional properties of SWCNT-based materials.

KW - De-encapsulation

KW - Encapsulation

KW - Illumination

KW - Single-walled carbon nanotubes

KW - Sulfur

KW - X-Ray spectroscopy

KW - encapsulation

KW - DESIGN

KW - illumination

KW - single-walled carbon nanotubes

KW - SYNCHROTRON-RADIATION

KW - ENCAPSULATION

KW - OPTICAL-PROPERTIES

KW - HEAT-DRIVEN RELEASE

KW - de-encapsulation

KW - X-RAY BEAMLINE

KW - sulfur

KW - CHARGE-TRANSFER

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85084225458&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/nano10050818

DO - 10.3390/nano10050818

M3 - Article

C2 - 32344811

AN - SCOPUS:85084225458

VL - 10

JO - Nanomaterials

JF - Nanomaterials

SN - 2079-4991

IS - 5

M1 - 818

ER -