A theoretical study of CO adsorption on aluminum nitride nanotubes

Adsorption of toxic CO molecule on single-walled aluminum nitride nanotubes (AlNNTs) was investigated using density functional theory calculations. A detailed analysis of the energetic, geometry, and electronic structure of various CO adsorptions on the tube exterior surface was performed. In contrast to carbon and BN nanotubes, our results indicated that AlNNTs can strongly interact with CO molecules. The adsorption energy of the most stable configuration was calculated to be about -0.25 eV. The Morokuma-Kitaura decomposition for molecular interaction energies was used to investigate the nature of C-Al bond in the most stable CO-AlNNT complex, demonstrating that electrostatic forces and polarization term are basic factors of attractive interaction between CO and AlNNT. They provide 37.9 and 40.4% of attractive interaction and charge transfer energies make a little contribution to the adsorption energy of CO.