We report on the synthesis of C-BN single-walled nanotubes made of BN nanodomains embedded into a graphene layer. The synthesis process consists of vaporizing, by a continuous CO2 laser, a target made of carbon and boron mixed with a Co/Ni catalyst under N2 atmosphere. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and nanoelectron energy loss spectroscopy (nanoEELS) provide direct evidence that boron and nitrogen co-segregate with respect to carbon and form nanodomains within the hexagonal lattice of the graphene layer in a sequential manner. A growth model is proposed to account for the observed C-BN self-organization and to explain how kinetics and local energetics at intermediate states can tailor ultimate single layer BN-C heterojunctions.
Combined spatially resolved electron-energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and high resolution near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy have been used to investigate the nitrogen doping of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (N-MWNT). EELS indicates that most of the tubes are nitrogen-doped. NEXAFS spectroscopy reveals pyridine-like and nitrile N structures. High resolution NEXAFS experiments show that the main nitrogen concentration originates from a high amount of molecular N2 encapsulated into only a small quantity of tubes.
The effects of an atomic hydrogen (H at ) pretreatment of the catalyst layer on the low temperature growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been investigated using a modified catalytic chemical vapor deposition system. Well-defined and isolated individual Fe nanoparticles as a catalyst are successfully formed on the defects with high trapping energy which are created on the Al 2 O 3 surface by H at pretreatment, yielding highly dense SWCNTs. The pretreatment mechanism of H at , compared to H 2 , is also discussed. It was also found that the quality of SWCNTs can be enhanced when H at is flowed with CH 4 during nanotubes growth at low temperature. In this case, the undesired carbon products and defects on catalyst seeds and nanotube walls can be selectively removed by H at . Therefore it is essential to use H at in the pretreatment stage for increasing catalytic activity and to keep the size of nanoparticles in the nm range. H at can also be employed in growth stage for enhancing SWCNTs quality and density at low temperature.
Multi walled nitrogen doped nanotubes were synthesized using two different methods. The growth mechanism and nitrogen concentration of the nanotubes synthesized by both methods are discussed and studied. The morphology and nitrogen concentration of the nanotubes are seen to strongly depend on the synthesis methods. The results are based on detailed high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) data coupled with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS).
We report on the direct synthesis of different kinds of BN -C multi-walled and single-walled nanotubes exhibiting a segregation between BN and C domains. Multi-walled BN-C nanotubes (MW-BN/C-NTs) were synthesized using the aerosol method whereas single-walled BN-C nanotubes (SW-BN/C-NTs) have been for the first time produced using a continuous CO 2 -laser vaporization process [S. Enouz et al., to be published]. Degrees of purity, homogeneity and yield have been estimated from a systematic inspection of the samples by scanning electron microscopy. Structure of these tubes and spatial distribution of C, B and N as well as their chemical environments have been inspected at the nanometer scale by combining high resolution transmission microscopy and nano-electron energy loss spectroscopy. These analyses provide clear evidence of new kinds of arrangements of C, B and N within the graphene layer, which are due to the segregation properties of h-BN and graphite. Thus, combining BN and C elements into nanotubular systems can open the way to a broad range of new nanodevices.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.