Fluorination of single-wall carbon nanotubes

Purified single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were fluorinated at several different temperatures. Product stoichiometries were determined and electron microscopy was used to verify whether or not the fluorination was destructive of the tubes. SWNTs fluorinated at three different temperatures were then defluorinated using hydrazine. Raman spectroscopy and resistance measurements were utilized to verify whether or not the products of the defluorination were in fact SWNTs. It has been determined that the bulk of the SWNTs survive the fluorination process at temperatures up to 325°C and that hydrazine can be employed as an effective defluorinating agent to regenerate the unfluorinated starting material.