Mechanism of Sequential Water Transportation by Water Loading and Release in Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes.
Water in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) displays unique behaviors such as ring-like structure formation, anomalous hydrogen bonds, and fast transportation. We demonstrated the structures and stability of water in loading and release processes using a combination of X-ray diffraction analysis and hybrid reverse Monte Carlo simulations. Water formed nanoclusters in water loading, whereas layered structures were formed in water release. The water nanoclusters formed in water loading were well stabilized in CNTs. In contrast, in water release, the water layers were less stable than the water nanoclusters. The significant stabilization of nanoclusters in water loading and the relatively low stability of water layers in water release suggest easy water loading and release through CNTs, providing sequential water transportation through CNTs.
†Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi, Inage, Chiba 263-8522, Japan.
Tomonori
T
Ohba
†Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi, Inage, Chiba 263-8522, Japan.
Sei-Ichi
S
Taira
‡Nanotube Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan.
Kenji
K
Hata
†Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi, Inage, Chiba 263-8522, Japan.
Hirofumi
H
Kanoh
X-ray diffraction; interfaces; nanostructures; nanotubes; water