1D lanthanide halide crystals inserted into single-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

1D crystals of lanthanide halides of the form LnCl3 (Ln = La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb or Yb) have been inserted into single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) using the molten salt capillary filling method; ca. 20-40% of all the observed SWNTs were filled with melts in the range 650-910 °C with no observable damage to the carbon tubules; high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) studies showed that the nanostructures of the encapsulated crystals varied with tubule diameter.