Electron Transport in Partially Filled Iron Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract:

We report electron transport properties of iron filled multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) with outer diameters of 30 to 80 nm and lengths of 1 to 10 μm. Our study is combined with a structural investigation of the iron core using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). It was found that high current densities of 1.8x10⁷ A/cm² increase the conductivity of the MWCNT by a factor of two at 300 K, while the Fe core disappears probably forming defect states in the carbon shells. The enhanced diffusion of iron is most probably the result of local heating of the iron followed by implantation of iron atoms in the nanotube layers.

• Periodical: Solid State Phenomena (Volume 190)
• Pages: 498-501
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.190.498
• Online since: June 2012
• Authors: Vadim Migunov, Zi An Li, Marina Spasova, Michael Farle
• Keywords: Carbon Nanotube (CN), Electronic Transport, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)

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