Growth of carbon nanotubes inside boron nitride nanotubes by coalescence of fullerenes: towards the world’s smallest co-axial cable

The use of boron nitride nanotubes as effective nanoscale containers for the confinement and thermal transformations of molecules of C60-fullerene has been demonstrated. The gas-phase insertion of fullerenes into the internal channel of boron nitride nanotubes yields quasi-one-dimensional arrays, wi...

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Main Authors: Walker, Kate E., Rance, Graham A., Pekker, Áron, Tóháti, Hajnalka M., Fay, Michael W., Lodge, Rhys W., Stoppiello, Craig T., Kamarás, Katalin, Khlobystov, Andrei N.
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Published: Wiley 2017
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Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/45694/
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author Walker, Kate E.
Rance, Graham A.
Pekker, Áron
Tóháti, Hajnalka M.
Fay, Michael W.
Lodge, Rhys W.
Stoppiello, Craig T.
Kamarás, Katalin
Khlobystov, Andrei N.
author_facet Walker, Kate E.
Rance, Graham A.
Pekker, Áron
Tóháti, Hajnalka M.
Fay, Michael W.
Lodge, Rhys W.
Stoppiello, Craig T.
Kamarás, Katalin
Khlobystov, Andrei N.
author_sort Walker, Kate E.
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description The use of boron nitride nanotubes as effective nanoscale containers for the confinement and thermal transformations of molecules of C60-fullerene has been demonstrated. The gas-phase insertion of fullerenes into the internal channel of boron nitride nanotubes yields quasi-one-dimensional arrays, with packing arrangements of the guest-fullerenes different to those in the bulk crystal and critically dependent on the internal diameter of the host-nanotube. Interestingly, the confined fullerene molecules (i) exhibit dynamic behaviour and temperature-dependant phase transitions analogous to that observed in the bulk crystal and (ii) can be effectively removed from within the internal channel of nanotubes by excessive sonication in organic solvent, indicating weak host-guest interactions. The thermal treatment of fullerenes confined within nanotubes at 1200 °C in argon triggers the polymerisation and coalescence of the guest-fullerenes into carbon nanotubes inside boron nitride nanotubes affording a hybrid nanostructure – the world’s smallest coaxial cable – on a preparative scale, as confirmed by high resolution bright field transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy, energy filtered transmission electron microscopy (EELS, EFTEM) elemental mapping and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy.
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institution University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
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publishDate 2017
publisher Wiley
recordtype eprints
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spelling nottingham-456942020-05-04T19:05:49Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/45694/ Growth of carbon nanotubes inside boron nitride nanotubes by coalescence of fullerenes: towards the world’s smallest co-axial cable Walker, Kate E. Rance, Graham A. Pekker, Áron Tóháti, Hajnalka M. Fay, Michael W. Lodge, Rhys W. Stoppiello, Craig T. Kamarás, Katalin Khlobystov, Andrei N. The use of boron nitride nanotubes as effective nanoscale containers for the confinement and thermal transformations of molecules of C60-fullerene has been demonstrated. The gas-phase insertion of fullerenes into the internal channel of boron nitride nanotubes yields quasi-one-dimensional arrays, with packing arrangements of the guest-fullerenes different to those in the bulk crystal and critically dependent on the internal diameter of the host-nanotube. Interestingly, the confined fullerene molecules (i) exhibit dynamic behaviour and temperature-dependant phase transitions analogous to that observed in the bulk crystal and (ii) can be effectively removed from within the internal channel of nanotubes by excessive sonication in organic solvent, indicating weak host-guest interactions. The thermal treatment of fullerenes confined within nanotubes at 1200 °C in argon triggers the polymerisation and coalescence of the guest-fullerenes into carbon nanotubes inside boron nitride nanotubes affording a hybrid nanostructure – the world’s smallest coaxial cable – on a preparative scale, as confirmed by high resolution bright field transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy, energy filtered transmission electron microscopy (EELS, EFTEM) elemental mapping and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. Wiley 2017-09-11 Article PeerReviewed Walker, Kate E., Rance, Graham A., Pekker, Áron, Tóháti, Hajnalka M., Fay, Michael W., Lodge, Rhys W., Stoppiello, Craig T., Kamarás, Katalin and Khlobystov, Andrei N. (2017) Growth of carbon nanotubes inside boron nitride nanotubes by coalescence of fullerenes: towards the world’s smallest co-axial cable. Small Methods, 1 (9). 1700184/1-1700184/9. ISSN 2366-9608 Carbon Nanotube Charge Transfer Nanoparticle Nanoreactor Nanoribbon http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/smtd.201700184/abstract doi:10.1002/smtd.201700184 doi:10.1002/smtd.201700184
spellingShingle Carbon Nanotube
Charge Transfer
Nanoparticle
Nanoreactor
Nanoribbon
Walker, Kate E.
Rance, Graham A.
Pekker, Áron
Tóháti, Hajnalka M.
Fay, Michael W.
Lodge, Rhys W.
Stoppiello, Craig T.
Kamarás, Katalin
Khlobystov, Andrei N.
Growth of carbon nanotubes inside boron nitride nanotubes by coalescence of fullerenes: towards the world’s smallest co-axial cable
title Growth of carbon nanotubes inside boron nitride nanotubes by coalescence of fullerenes: towards the world’s smallest co-axial cable
title_full Growth of carbon nanotubes inside boron nitride nanotubes by coalescence of fullerenes: towards the world’s smallest co-axial cable
title_fullStr Growth of carbon nanotubes inside boron nitride nanotubes by coalescence of fullerenes: towards the world’s smallest co-axial cable
title_full_unstemmed Growth of carbon nanotubes inside boron nitride nanotubes by coalescence of fullerenes: towards the world’s smallest co-axial cable
title_short Growth of carbon nanotubes inside boron nitride nanotubes by coalescence of fullerenes: towards the world’s smallest co-axial cable
title_sort growth of carbon nanotubes inside boron nitride nanotubes by coalescence of fullerenes: towards the world’s smallest co-axial cable
topic Carbon Nanotube
Charge Transfer
Nanoparticle
Nanoreactor
Nanoribbon
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/45694/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/45694/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/45694/