Room temperature purification of few-walled carbon nanotubes with high yield.
Purification of high-quality few-walled carbon nanotubes (fWNTs) was developed by slow but selective oxidation in hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) at room temperature. The purity, nanotubes' structure, and thermal stability of purified fWNTs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. The results showed that fWNTs could be selectively purified by prolonging the stirring time in 30 wt % H(2)O(2) solution. Highly purified fWNTs were obtained, having a high G/D ratio in Raman spectra and good thermal stability indicating the good quality of the purified fWNTs. The approach provides a simple low cost method for purification that also has higher nanotube yield than other purification methods.
Feng
Yiyu
Y
Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.
Zhang
Hongbo
H
Hou
Ye
Y
McNicholas
Thomas Patrick
TP
Yuan
Dongning
D
Yang
Sungwoo
S
Ding
Lei
L
Feng
Wei
W
Liu
Jie
J
D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature
D003102:Colloids; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide