Carbon : nickel nanocomposite templates - predefined stable catalysts for diameter-controlled growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Carbon : nickel (C : Ni) nanocomposite templates (NCTs) were used as catalyst precursors for diameter-controlled growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Two NCT types of 2 nm thickness were prepared by ion beam co-sputtering without (type I) or with assisting Ar(+) ion irradiation (type II). NCT type I comprised Ni-rich nanoparticles (NPs) with defined diameter in an amorphous carbon matrix, while NCT type II was a homogenous C : Ni film. Based on the Raman spectra of more than 600 individual SWCNTs, the diameter distribution obtained from both types of NCT was determined. SWCNTs with a selective, monomodal diameter distribution are obtained from NCT type I. About 50% of the SWCNTs have a diameter of (1.36 ± 0.10) nm. In contrast to NCT type I, SWCNTs with a non-selective, relatively homogeneous diameter distribution from 0.80 to 1.40 nm covering 88% of all SWCNTs are obtained from NCT type II. From both catalyst templates predominantly separated as-grown SWCNTs are obtained. They are free of solvents or surfactants, exhibit a low degree of bundling and contain negligible amounts of MWCNTs. The study demonstrates the advantage of predefined catalysts for diameter-controlled SWCNT synthesis in comparison to in situ formed catalysts.

In situ monitoring of single-wall carbon nanotube laser assisted growth.

Laser assisted catalytic chemical vapor deposition has recently emerged as an attractive method for locally growing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a cold wall reactor. So far, reported laser assisted CNT growth has been carried out without in situ process monitoring. This has made it difficult to control the growth process and limits the applicability of the method. Using a set of photodetectors with different spectral responses, we show that one can identify characteristic regimes of laser assisted CNT growth. More specifically, key process steps like catalyst activation, growth of CNTs, and amorphous carbon deposition are identified. Furthermore, the method allows optimization of growth conditions with respect to the quality of the growth products.

Atomically resolved mechanical response of individual metallofullerene molecules confined inside carbon nanotubes.

The hollow core inside a carbon nanotube can be used to confine single molecules and it is now possible to image the movement of such molecules inside nanotubes. To date, however, it has not been possible to control this motion, nor to detect the forces moving the molecules, despite experimental and theoretical evidence suggesting that almost friction-free motion might be possible inside the nanotubes. Here, we report on precise measurements of the mechanical responses of individual metallofullerene molecules (Dy@C82) confined inside single-walled carbon nanotubes to the atom at the tip of an atomic force microscope operated in dynamic mode. Using three-dimensional force mapping with atomic resolution, we addressed the molecules from the exterior of the nanotube and measured their elastic and inelastic behaviour by simultaneously detecting the attractive forces and energy losses with three-dimensional, atomic-scale resolution.