Sonochemical reaction to control the near-infrared photoluminescence properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes.

The effect of ultrasonic irradiation on the optical properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) was investigated. Upon sonication in D2O in the presence of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) under air, red-shifted photoluminescence (PL) peaks at ∼1043 and ∼1118 nm were observed from the aqueous suspensions of (6,4) and (6,5)SWNTs, accompanied by a decrease in the intensity of the intrinsic PL peaks. Upon sonication with SDBS under an Ar atmosphere, the rate of spectral change increased with the sonication time and new PL peaks emerged at 1043, 1118, and 1221 nm. Meanwhile, upon the addition of 1-butanol, the PL peaks emerged only at 1043 nm and 1118 nm, while the emergence of the peak at 1221 nm was inhibited. On the other hand, a suspension with highly dispersed SWNTs was obtained upon sonication in the presence of sodium cholate without any change in the intrinsic optical properties of SWNTs. These experimental results reveal that the PL characteristics of SWNTs can be controlled by controlling the sonication conditions such as the type of surfactant used, the concentration of SWNTs, reaction environment, and the presence of an inhibitor such as 1-butanol.

Thermal Stability of Oxidized Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: Competitive Elimination and Decomposition Reaction Depending on the Degree of Functionalization.

The thermal stability of oxidized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with various degrees of oxidation was investigated. The oxidized SWNTs exhibited lower absorption and radial breathing mode (RBM) peaks and a higher intensity ratio of the D band to the G band (D/G) in their absorption and Raman spectra than those of the pristine SWNTs. After the thermal treatment, the D/G ratio of the oxidized SWNTs almost recovered its original intensity, regardless of the degree of oxidation. The absorption, photoluminescence (PL), and RBM peaks could not recover their original intensities when the oxidation degree was high. The results indicate that the elimination and decomposition reactions proceeded competitively depending on the degree of oxidation. In addition, a new PL peak was observed in the near-infrared region, and the PL peak intensity increased with the subsequent thermal treatment. The theoretical calculations provided an insight into the possible pathways for the decomposition of oxidized SWNTs, showing that the O2 elimination and CO/CO2 evolution proceed competitively during thermal treatment.