Temperature effects in the Raman spectra of bundled single-wall carbon nanotubes

• Published in: Chemical physics letters Vol. 477; no. 4; pp. 336 - 339
• Main Authors: Meletov, K.P., Krestinin, A.V., Arvanitidis, J., Christofilos, D., Kourouklis, G.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 06-08-2009
• ISSN: 0009-2614; 1873-4448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2009.07.001

The Raman modes of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) exhibit negative temperature shift, which is reversible for the G band and partially irreversible for the radial breathing modes (RBMs). The softening of the RBMs is larger for larger diameter tubes, resulting in better separation of the constituent peaks and a residual softening after high temperature treatment (HTT). The dependence of the RBM residual softening on the treatment temperature demonstrates threshold-like behavior. The figure depicts the dependence of the residual softening of the RBM peaks on the treatment temperature.
Bundled single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were studied as a function of temperature by means of Raman spectroscopy. The Raman modes exhibit negative temperature shift, reversible for the G band and partially irreversible for the radial breathing modes (RBMs). The softening of the latter is larger for larger diameter tubes, resulting in a better separation of the RBMs after high temperature treatment (HTT). The RBM residual softening
vs. treatment temperature demonstrates threshold-like behavior. The temperature-induced changes may be associated with an irreversible weakening of the tube–tube (intertube) interaction possibly due to adsorbent removal or destruction of random intertube C–C bonds.