Effects of non-hydrostatic pressure on electrical resistance of bundled single-wall carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) exhibit a sequence of phase transitions and demonstrate a high structural stability up to 35 GPa of quasi-hydrostatic pressure [1] beyond which an irreversible structural transformation occurs. Here we report on the study of electrical resistance of SWCNTs at pressures up to 34 GPa in the temperature range of 293-395 K. In the pressure range 10-25 GPathe rate of resistance change decreases considerably. We associate such behavior of the resistance with a structural modification of the SWCNTs or/and change of the conductivity character at high pressure. Raman spectra of the samples recovered after 30 GPa exhibit a large increase of defect concentration in the CNTs. Isobaric temperature dependences of the CNT resistance R(T) measured in the temperature range 300-400 K reveal some changes with pressure whereas the semiconducting character of the R(T) remains unaltered.