Enhanced thermal stability and spin-lattice relaxation rate of N@C60 inside carbon nanotubes

TL;DR

This study investigates how encapsulating N@C60 inside carbon nanotubes affects its thermal stability and spin-lattice relaxation, revealing enhanced stability and altered relaxation dynamics due to interactions with nanotube conduction electrons.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the thermal stability and spin relaxation behavior of N@C60 when encapsulated in carbon nanotubes, highlighting the influence of nanotube conduction electrons.

Findings

Nitrogen escapes at higher temperatures when inside nanotubes.

Spin-lattice relaxation time T_1 is shorter in encapsulated N@C60.

Encapsulation affects thermal stability and relaxation dynamics.

Abstract

We studied the temperature stability of the endohedral fullerene molecule, N@C60, inside single-wall carbon nanotubes using electron spin resonance spectroscopy. We found that the nitrogen escapes at higher temperatures in the encapsulated material as compared to its pristine, crystalline form. The temperature dependent spin-lattice relaxation time, T_1, of the encapsulated molecule is significantly shorter than that of the crystalline material, which is explained by the interaction of the nitrogen spin with the conduction electrons of the nanotubes.