Effects of Microwave Absorption on Long and Short Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes at 10-6 Torr

TL;DR

This study investigates how microwave irradiation affects the structural integrity and radiation emission of single-walled carbon nanotubes at ultra-high vacuum, revealing defect formation and emission characteristics linked to nanotube length.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the effects of microwave absorption on nanotube defects and emission spectra, especially comparing long and short nanotubes at low pressure.

Findings

Long nanotubes emit more intense radiation than short ones.

Microwave irradiation increases defect levels in nanotubes.

Emitted radiation includes blackbody and non-thermal components.

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes have been observed to emit ultraviolet, visible and infrared radiation when exposed to microwaves. We have performed experiments in which both short (0.5 microns to 2 microns) and long (5 microns to 30 microns) single and double walled carbon nanotubes were exposed to 2.46 GHz microwaves at a pressure of 10^-6 Torr. Structural modifications of the-carbon nanotubes due to microwave absorption have been studied using the Raman spectroscopy G-band and D-band intensities, which suggest that microwave irradiation at relatively low pressure results in an increase in nanotube defects, especially in the case of the long nanotubes. Furthermore, a comparison of the spectra of the radiation emitted from the nanotubes suggests that the longer nanotubes emitted radiation of much greater intensity than the shorter nanotubes. Based on the results of the experiments and results described in previous reports, the ultraviolet, visible and infrared radiation emitted as the result of microwave absorption by carbon nanotubes seems to be primarily blackbody radiation emitted due to Joule heating. However, the presence of several broad photopeaks in the spectra of the emitted radiation (which do not seem to be related to gases absorbed by the nanotubes or the presence of catalyst particles) suggest that emissions are not the result of Joule heating alone.