Elucidating the local interfacial structure of highly photoresponsive carbon nanotubes/PbS-QDs based nanohybrids grown by pulsed laser deposition

Kazunori Fujisawa, Ibrahima Ka, Vincent Le Borgne, Cheon Soo Kang, Kensaku Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Muramatsu, Takuya Hayashi, Yoong Ahm Kim, Morinobu Endo, Mauricio Terrones, My Ali El Khakani

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots (QDs) nanohybrids have been synthesized through the controlled decoration of CNTs by PbS-QDs by means of the pulsed laser deposition technique. The size of the PbS-QDs and their surface coverage of the CNTs' surface are monitored through the number of laser ablation pulses. Here, while comparing both single-walled (SW) and double-walled (DW) CNTs based nanohybrids, focus is put on the investigation of their interfacial structure and the effect of inner tube. Anchoring PbS through direct sulfur-carbon chemical bonding between CNTs' outer wall and PbS-QDs, which are thought to be profitable for efficient charge transfer but not for charge transport along CNT's tube axis, are confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In the case of double-walled CNTs (DWCNTs), inner tube remains unaffected by ablated PbS species, then it serves efficient conduction way for transferred photo-generated charges. This unique feature of the DWCNTs based nanohybrid, where the photocharges are generated by the chemically bonded PbS-QDs to the outer tube and then efficiently conveyed by the inner tube of the nanotubes, is highly likely at the origin of their significantly higher photo-activity (several hundred times than in SWCNTs-based nanohybrids).

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)145-152
Number of pages8
JournalCarbon
Volume96
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2016

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Chemistry
  • General Materials Science

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