Does opening carbon nanotubes enhance their hydrogen adsorption capacity ?

摘要

Since experimental confirmations of the excellent ability of gas storage of carbon nanotubes have been carried out, tremendous work have been done to understand and to improve hydrogen adsorption in carbon nanotubes. In this context, opening nanotubes is a way to improve adsorption, since their internal volume may be considered as a supplementary gas reservoir. Experimentally, such an operation is carried out using thermal treatments, sonication or ball-milling. Herein, we studied ball-milling of bundle-organized single wall carbon nanotubes. Experiments have been carried out in a planetary ball mill, using chemical agents as shock absorbers. Their effects are quantified by X-ray diffraction, transmission electronic microscope, nitrogen adsorption isotherms. Hydrogen adsorption measurements at low temperature show that it is not easy to improve in a significant way the H2 adsorption capacity of carbon nanotubes.