Purity Evaluation of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Using Thermogravimetric Analysis

This study evaluated the purity of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in the arc-synthesized SWCNT samples by using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The as-produced SWCNT samples were heat-treated in air for 20 h at 275-475 degrees C and characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopes and TGA to establish oxidation temperature ranges of SWCNTs and carbonaceous impurities comprising the samples. Based on these oxidation temperature ranges, derivative thermogravimetric curves were deconvoluted, and differentiated peaks were assigned to SWCNTs and carbonaceous impurities. The compositions and the SWCNT purities of the samples were obtained simply by calculating the areal ratios under the deconvoluted curves. TGA studies on purity evaluation and thermal stabilities of SWCNTs and carbonaceous impurities are likely to provide us with a simple route of thermal, oxidation purification to acquire high-purity SWCNT samples.