4-Nitrobenzylamine partially intercalated into graphite powder and multiwalled carbon nanotubes: characterization using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and in situ atomic force microscopy.

Journal article

We report the characterization of partial intercalation of 4-nitrobenzylamine (4-NBA) into edge-plane or edge-plane-like defect sites on the surface of both graphite powder and "bamboo-like" multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). By comparing the XPS spectra of 4-NBA derivatized graphite powder and MWCNTs with that of graphite powder treated with benzylamine in a similar fashion, we conclude that benzylamine itself does not undergo partial intercalation. Using in situ atomic force microscopy, we are able to observe the partial intercalation of 4-NBA into an edge-plane-like "step" defect on the surface of a highly ordered pyrolytic graphite crystal in real time. Together these observations provide further evidence for the partial intercalation of 4-NBA and lead us to propose a new hypothesis to explain this phenomenon.

Authors: Wildgoose, G; Hyde, M; Lawrence, N; Leventis, H; Jiang, L

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids
• Volume: 21
• Issue: 10
• Pages: 4584-4591
• Publication date: 2005-05-01
• DOI: 10.1021/la040138l
• EISSN: 1520-5827
• ISSN: 0743-7463
• Language: English