Surface defect site density on single walled carbon nanotubes by titration

Closed end single walled carbon nanotubes (c-SWNT) purified by acidic oxidation have been studied in order to determine the fraction of oxidized carbon sites present. This has been done by measuring the evolution of CO2(g) and CO(g) on heating to 1273 K. Following a 1273 K treatment, the defect sites were titrated repeatedly with O-3. The results indicate that similar to 5% of the carbon atoms in the c-SWNT samples pretreated to 1273 K are located at defective sites, capable of facile oxidation by O-3. This high defect site density indicates that a significant number of these sites exist on the graphene walls of the nanotubes. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.