Thermal defect healing of single-walled carbon nanotubes assisted by supplying carbon-containing reactants

Abstract

We experimentally investigated the effect of carbon-containing reactants (C2H2) on healing the defects in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) by thermal processes at high temperatures (~1100oC). Introducing C2H2 notably improved the crystallinity of healed SWCNTs compared with the thermal process in Ar ambient without C2H2. The defect healing rate increased with increasing C2H2 partial pressure and the healing effect of C2H2 was more remarkable for relatively thinner SWCNTs (<1.1 nm). Combined with the relevant theoretical works reported previously, we propose the healing model, in which C2H2 helps to heal the vacancy defects and increases the healing rate at high temperatures.