Capillary Absorption of Metal Nanodroplets by Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes

We present a simple model that demonstrates the possibility of capillary absorption of nonwetting liquid nanoparticles by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) assisted by the action of the Laplace pressure due to the droplet surface tension. We test this model with molecular dynamics simulation and find excellen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nano letters 2008-08, Vol.8 (8), p.2253-2257
Main Authors: Schebarchov, D, Hendy, S. C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Catalytic methods
Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science
rheology
Exact sciences and technology
Materials science
Methods of nanofabrication
Nanocrystalline materials
Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization
Nanotubes
Physics
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Summary:We present a simple model that demonstrates the possibility of capillary absorption of nonwetting liquid nanoparticles by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) assisted by the action of the Laplace pressure due to the droplet surface tension. We test this model with molecular dynamics simulation and find excellent agreement with the theory, which shows that for a given nanotube radius there is a critical size below which a metal droplet will be absorbed. The model also explains recent observations of capillary absorption of nonwetting Cu nanodroplets by carbon nanotubes. This finding has implications for our understanding of the growth of CNTs from metal catalyst particles and suggests new methods for fabricating composite metal−CNT materials.
ISSN:1530-6984
1530-6992
DOI:10.1021/nl080875s