Thermal/electron irradiation assisted coalescence of Sc3N@C80 fullerene in carbon nanotube and evidence of charge transfer between pristine/coalesced fullerenes and nanotubes

Ahmadreza Fallah; Yuki Yonetani; Ryosuke Senga; Kaori Hirahara; Ryo Kitaura; Hisanori Shinohara; Yoshikazu Nakayama

doi:10.1039/c3nr03233g

Thermal/electron irradiation assisted coalescence of Sc3N@C80 fullerene in carbon nanotube and evidence of charge transfer between pristine/coalesced fullerenes and nanotubes

Nanoscale. 2013 Dec 7;5(23):11755-60. doi: 10.1039/c3nr03233g.

Authors

Ahmadreza Fallah¹, Yuki Yonetani, Ryosuke Senga, Kaori Hirahara, Ryo Kitaura, Hisanori Shinohara, Yoshikazu Nakayama

Affiliation

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.

PMID: 24121541
DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03233g

Abstract

Sc3N@C80 fullerenes are inserted inside carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The results show that the thermal stability of Sc3N@C80 fullerenes is around 1200 °C for the fullerenes resting on the wall of CNTs. Internal fullerenes show stability up to 1300 °C, which portrays them as one of most stable types of fullerenes. Electron irradiation of the peapods at 90 kV leads to the formation of capsules inside the CNTs at 5 × 10(9) e nm(-2) electron dosage. This value is an order of magnitude higher than the threshold of electron-induced damage in C60 molecules. Electron energy loss spectroscopy confirms the presence of Sc atoms in capsules. Encapsulation of fullerenes and capsule formation changes the oxidation state of Sc atoms from +2.5 towards +3. This is an evidence of charge transfer between the fullerene/capsule cage and CNT walls.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't