Quasiphase Transition in a Single File of Water Molecules Encapsulated in (6,5) Carbon Nanotubes Observed by Temperature-Dependent Photoluminescence Spectroscopy

Molecules confined inside single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) behave quite differently from their bulk analogues. In this Letter we present temperature-dependent (4.2 K up to room temperature) photoluminescence (PL) spectra of water-filled and empty single-chirality (6,5) SWCNTs. Superimposed on a linear temperature-dependent PL spectral shift of the empty SWCNTs, an additional stepwise PL spectral shift of the water-filled SWCNTs is observed at similar to 150 K. With the empty SWCNTs serving as an ideal reference system, we assign this shift to temperature-induced changes occurring in the single-file chain of water molecules encapsulated in the tubes. Our molecular dynamics simulations further support the occurrence of a quasiphase transition of the orientational order of the water dipoles in the single-file chain.