Bond-curvature effect on burning of single-wall carbon nanotubes

Chirality dependent burning of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) was monitored using optical absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy for the HiPco and the CoMoCAT SWCNTs. Results have indicated that nanotubes with a higher chiral angle and smaller diameter decomposed more rapidly through thermal oxidation in air. A local curvature radius along the C-C bond is found to be a major rate-determining factor in the combustion process of SWCNTs. (c) 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.