Mass-spectrometric study of single-walled carbon nanotubes modified by aliphatic amines

Abstract

The gas-phase derivatization procedure was employed for direct (i.e., without chemical activation of terminal carboxylic groups) amidization of oxidized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with simple aliphatic amines. The procedure includes treatment of SWNTs with amine vapors under reduced pressure and temperature of 160-170ºC. Applicability of temperature-programmed desorption mass spectrometry for chemical characterization of the derivatized SWNTs was analyzed. Heating of the amine-treated SWNTs at temperature >200ºC causes cleavage of alkenes from the amine residues: nonene and pentene are formed in the case of nonylamine and dipentylamine, respectively.