One-dimensional N-2 gas inside single-walled carbon nanotubes

C Kramberger and T Thurakitseree and H Koh and Y Izumi and T Kinoshita and T Muro and E Einarsson and S Maruyama, CARBON, 55, 196-201 (2013).

DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2012.12.026

The unexpected presence of a linear arrangement of co-axially oriented N-2 molecules inside aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes is revealed by high resolution near-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The encapsulated N-2 molecules exhibit free stretching vibrations with a long electronic lifetime of the X-ray-excited anti-bonding pi* states. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm that narrow-diameter nanotubes (d < 1 nm) are crucial for stabilizing the linear arrangement of aligned N-2 molecules. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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