Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Reactor for Redox Transformation of Mercury Dichloride.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) possessing a confined inner space protected by chemically resistant shells are promising for delivery, storage, and desorption of various compounds, as well as carrying out specific reactions. Here, we show that SWCNTs interact with molten mercury dichloride (HgCl2) and guide its transformation into dimercury dichloride (Hg2Cl2) in the cavity. The chemical state of host SWCNTs remains almost unchanged except for a small p-doping from the guest Hg2Cl2 nanocrystals. The density functional theory calculations reveal that the encapsulated HgCl2 molecules become negatively charged and start interacting via chlorine bridges when local concentration increases. This reduces the bonding strength in HgCl2, which facilitates removal of chlorine, finally leading to formation of Hg2Cl2 species. The present work demonstrates that SWCNTs not only serve as a template for growing nanocrystals but also behave as an electron-transfer catalyst in the spatially confined redox reaction by donation of electron density for temporary use by the guests.

Structural peculiarities of single crystal diamond needles of nanometer thickness.

Diamond is attractive for various applications due to its unique mechanical and optical properties. In particular, single crystal diamond needles with high aspect ratios and sharp apexes of nanometer size are demanded for different types of optical sensors including optically sensing tip probes for scanning microscopy. This paper reports on electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy characterization of the diamond needles having geometrically perfect pyramidal shapes with rectangular atomically flat bases with (001) crystallography orientation, 2-200 nm sharp apexes, and with lengths from about 10-160 µm. The needles were produced by selective oxidation of (001) textured polycrystalline diamond films grown by chemical vapor deposition. Here we study the types and distribution of defects inside and on the surface of the single crystal diamond needles. We show that sp3 type point defects are incorporated into the volume of the diamond crystal during growth, while the surface of the lateral facets is enriched by multiple extended defects. Nitrogen addition to the reaction mixture results in increase of the growth rate on {001} facets correlated with the rise in the concentration of sp3 type defects.