Home > NANO-RESEARCH > Vol. 3 (2010) > No. 2

Article Title
Enhanced π-π interactions between a C60 fullerene and a buckle bend on a double-walled carbon nanotube
Keywords
Carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, low-voltage transmission electron microscopy, molecule trap
Abstract
In situ low-voltage aberration corrected transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations of the dynamic entrapment of a C60 molecule in the saddle of a bent double-walled carbon nanotube is presented. The fullerene interaction is non-covalent, suggesting that enhanced π–π interactions (van der Waals forces) are responsible. Classical molecular dynamics calculations confirm that the increased interaction area associated with a buckle is sufficient to trap a fullerene. Moreover, they show hopping behavior in agreement with our experimental observations. Our findings further our understanding of carbon nanostructure interactions, which are important in the rapidly developing field of low-voltage aberration corrected TEM and nano-carbon device fabrication.
Graphical Abstract
Publisher
Tsinghua University Press
Recommended Citation
Sandeep Gorantla,Stanislav Avdoshenko,Felix Börrnert,Alicja Bachmatiuk,Maria Dimitrakopoulou,Franziska Schäffel,Ronny Schönfelder,Jürgen Thomas,Thomas Gemming,Jamie H. Warner,Gianaurelio Cuniberti,Jürgen Eckert,Bernd Büchner,Mark H. Rümmeli, Enhanced π-π interactions between a C60 fullerene and a buckle bend on a double-walled carbon nanotube. NanoRes.2010, 3: 92–97