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Article
Adsorption Studies of Methane Films on Catalytic Carbon Nanotubes and on Carbon Filaments
Langmuir
  • Erica B. Mackie, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
  • Ruth Ann Wolfson, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
  • Liv M. Arnold, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
  • Khalid Lafdi, University of Dayton
  • Aldo D. Migone, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-1997
Abstract

Adsorption measurements of CH4 on catalytically produced carbon nanotubes were used to determine the wetting behavior of the films, the presence of capillary condensation, and the specific surface area of the tubes. Two groups of carbon tubes were produced. The set of larger tubes had inner diameters on the order of 1 μm, while the set of narrower tubes had inner diameters on the order of 10−100 nm. The narrower carbon tubes were either oxidized in nitric acid, or subjected to high-temperature treatment at 2400 °C in vacuum, or left in as-produced condition. The activation processes were used to open the ends of the tubes. Surface area determinations for untreated and treated tubes established that the specific surface area increased as a result of activation. Isothermal adsorption−desorption cycles were measured on treated and untreated tubes. Hysteresis loops, indicative of the formation of a capillary condensate on the substrate, were present only for the open-ended treated tubes; no hysteresis loops were present on the untreated tubes. The wetting behavior of methane films above and below the bulk triple point was determined. Solid films incompletely wet the tubes. This behavior contrasts with the complete wetting exhibited by CH4 on exfoliated graphite, in spite of the fact that both the tubes and the exfoliate have essentially the same composition. Liquid methane completely wets the nanotubes.

Inclusive pages
7197–7201
ISBN/ISSN
0743-7463
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Citation Information
Erica B. Mackie, Ruth Ann Wolfson, Liv M. Arnold, Khalid Lafdi, et al.. "Adsorption Studies of Methane Films on Catalytic Carbon Nanotubes and on Carbon Filaments" Langmuir Vol. 13 Iss. 26 (1997)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/khalid_lafdi/26/