Fullertubes are tubular fullerenes with nanotube-like middle section and fullerene-like endcaps. To understand how this intermediate form between spherical fullerenes and nanotubes is reflected in the vibrational modes, we performed comprehensive studies of IR and Raman spectra of fullertubes C90-D5h, C96-D3d, and C100-D5d. An excellent agreement between experimental and DFT-computed spectra enabled a detailed vibrational assignment and allowed an analysis of the localization degree of the vibrational modes in different parts of fullertubes. Projection analysis was performed to establish an exact numerical correspondence between vibrations of the belt midsection and fullerene headcaps to the modes of nanotubes and fullerene C60-Ih. As a result, we could not only identify fullerene-like and CNT-like vibrations of fullertubes, but also trace their origin in specific vibrational modes of CNT and C60-Ih. IR spectra were found to be dominated by vibrations of fullerene-like caps resembling IR-active modes of C60-Ih, whereas in Raman spectra both caps and belt vibrations are found to be equally active. Unlike the resonance Raman spectra of CNTs, in which only two single-phonon bands are detected, the Raman spectra of fullertubes exhibit several CNT-like vibrations and thus provide additional information on nanotube phonons.
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Synthesizing carbon nanotubes in space
Context. As the fourth most abundant element in the universe, carbon (C) is widespread in the interstellar medium (ISM) in various allotropic forms (e.g. fullerenes have been identified unambiguously in many astronomical environments, the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon molecules in space has been commonly acknowledged, and presolar graphite, as well as nanodiamonds, have been identified in meteorites). As stable allotropes of these species, whether carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and their hydrogenated counterparts are also present in the ISM or not is unknown. Aims. The aim of the present works is to explore the possible routes for the formation of CNTs in the ISM and calculate their fingerprint vibrational spectral features in the infrared (IR). Methods. We studied the hydrogen-abstraction and acetylene-addition (HACA) mechanism and investigated the synthesis of nanotubes using density functional theory (DFT). The IR vibrational spectra of CNTs and hydrogenated nanotubes (HNTs), as well as their cations, were obtained with DFT. Results. We find that CNTs could be synthesized in space through a feasible formation pathway. CNTs and cationic CNTs, as well as their hydrogenated counterparts, exhibit intense vibrational transitions in the IR. Their possible presence in the ISM could be investigated by comparing the calculated vibrational spectra with astronomical observations made by the Infrared Space Observatory, Spitzer Space Telescope, and particularly the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1816411
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10357934
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Astronomy & Astrophysics
- Volume:
- 631
- ISSN:
- 0004-6361
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- A54
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201935789
