Nano Sized Magnetic Particles with Diameters Less than 1 nm Encapsulated in Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

The synthesis of magnetic nano sized Fe particle-encapsulated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has been realized for the first time by a two-step method. In this method, ferrocene is selected as a starting material and used in filling SWNTs. Then, the as-synthesized ferrocene-filled SWNTs are decomposed to release Fe atoms inside the SWNTs. Both ferrocenefilled SWNT and Fe-filled SWNT samples are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) and Raman spectroscopy. Our results reveal that discrete or chain like Fe particles have successfully been filled in the SWNTs.

A Catalytic Reaction Inside a Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotube

“…It turns out that the tube growth is a catalytic process that yields iron-doped and nondoped DWCNTs as final products. The filling of SWCNTs with metallocenes has thus far been observed for cobaltocenes (CoCp 2 ) [6] and ferrocenes (FeCp 2 ) [7,8] with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Tube-diameter-selective filling and the resulting energy shifts of the corresponding fluorescence peaks were observed for cobaltocene peapods (CoCp 2 @NT).…”

“…The HRTEM measurements of FeCp 2 @NT showed the conversion of the FeCp 2 to inner tubes [7] and to iron clusters. [8,9] However, evidence for the filling on a bulk scale as well as a detailed analysis of the inner tube growth process have not yet been reported. Accounting for recently reported bulk SWCNT synthesis from only FeCp 2 precursor, [10] it is plausible that the within a tube FeCp 2 acts as a catalyst and as a carbon source.…”

Ferrocene encapsulated in single‐wall carbon nanotubes: a precursor to secondary tubes

“…The filling of SWCNT with the metallocenes has so far been observed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with cobaltocenes [11] and FeCp 2 [12,13]. Tube-diameter selective filling and the corresponding energy shift of fluorescence peak were observed for cobaltocene peapods.…”

“…Tube-diameter selective filling and the corresponding energy shift of fluorescence peak were observed for cobaltocene peapods. The TEM studies of ferrocene peapods (FeCp 2 @NT) reported on the conversion of the FeCp 2 to inner tubes [12] and to iron clusters [13]. However, evidence for the filling on a bulk www.pss-b.com Original Paper scale as well as a detailed analysis of the reaction pathway to the secondary materials growth inside the tube have not yet been reported.…”

Growth mechanisms of inner‐shell tubes in double‐wall carbon nanotubes

“…Most recently, it was demonstrated that DWCNTs can also be grown from ferrocene (FeCp 2 ) filled SWCNTs [6][7][8][9]. The important difference to the first route is the growth temperature.…”