EXAFS study of electrolytic nanosolution confined in interstitial nanospaces of single-wall carbon nanohorn colloids

The structure of RbBr aqueous solution confined in the interstitial nanospaces of single-wall carbon nanohorn (SWNH) assemblies was elucidated by using extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) technique. The decrease of hydration number around a Rb ion is clearly observed. The EXAFS analysis indicates that the highly distorted and dehydrated structure around ions of aqueous solution confined in the nanospace (nanosolution: NSN) to form quasi one-dimensional structure in the interstitial nanospaces of SWNH assemblies. This unique hydration structures formed in nanospaces of SWNH is quite different from that not only of the bulk aqueous solution, but also confined in the slit-shaped nanospaces of activated carbon fiber (ACF).