Filling of single-walled carbon nanotubes with silver

Abstract

We showed, by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and spatially resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy, that silver atoms have been introduced into single- walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) produced by the arc-discharge method with solution phase chemistry by capillary filling, and a high efficiency of filling may be realized. Both partially filled and completely filled SWCNTs were observed, and the metal inside the tube may be regarded as one-dimensional silver nanowires with high length-to-diameter ratios. The length of filling ranged from several to tens of nanometers. Under strong electron beam irradiation the filling metal condensed to a particle, while the silver-containing SWCNT shrank and disintegrated.