Detection of adsorbed gas atoms on a suspended single-walled carbon nanotube balance

ORAL

Abstract

A monolayer of gas atoms or molecules adsorbed on a suspended single-walled carbon nanotube offers the opportunity to study the phases and phase transitions of a unique low dimensional system. The adsorbed phases are expected to resemble the well studied 2D monolayers on planar graphite, but with modified binding energies, curvature effects, reduced grain size effects, and cylindrical boundary conditions imposed. The adsorbed mass can be detected by using the nanotube itself as a vibrating balance whose resonant frequency shifts when adsorbates add mass to it. We have developed a vibrating nanotube balance with which we have measured the mass adsorption vs equilibrium vapor pressure for Ar at 77 K. We will describe the development of the nanotube balance, the measurement technique, and the sensitivity of the method (of the order of 100 atoms or less), and compare our results with the well known adsorption isotherm of Ar on exfoliated graphite at this temperature. Comparison with other gases (Kr and N2) at this temperature is in progress.

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Authors

  • Zenghui Wang

    University of Washington

  • Ernest Henley

    Green River College, University of British Columbia, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, BYU-Idaho Dept. of Physics, University of Washington, Applied Physics Technologies, Inc., Montana State University, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Southern Oregon University, Oregon State University Department of Physics, Oregon State University Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Neutron Research, Physics Department, Oregon State University, University of Idaho, University of Wyoming, Department of Physics, Montana State University, University of Portland, Idaho State University, WWU, Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Oregon Center for Optics and Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Lewis and Clark, Queen's University, University of Notre Dame, Idaho National Lab, TRIUMF, RCNP, Japan, University of Guelph, Mexico University, St. Mary's University, University of Montreal, Deep River, Dept. of Physics; Montana State University, Dept. of Plant Sciences and Pathology, Dept. of Chem. and Biochem.; Montana State University, Department of Physics, Shandong University, P. R. China, Department of Physics, University of Idaho, USA, Dept. of Physics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6 Canada, University of Calgary

  • Ernest Henley

    Green River College, University of British Columbia, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, BYU-Idaho Dept. of Physics, University of Washington, Applied Physics Technologies, Inc., Montana State University, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Southern Oregon University, Oregon State University Department of Physics, Oregon State University Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Neutron Research, Physics Department, Oregon State University, University of Idaho, University of Wyoming, Department of Physics, Montana State University, University of Portland, Idaho State University, WWU, Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Oregon Center for Optics and Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Lewis and Clark, Queen's University, University of Notre Dame, Idaho National Lab, TRIUMF, RCNP, Japan, University of Guelph, Mexico University, St. Mary's University, University of Montreal, Deep River, Dept. of Physics; Montana State University, Dept. of Plant Sciences and Pathology, Dept. of Chem. and Biochem.; Montana State University, Department of Physics, Shandong University, P. R. China, Department of Physics, University of Idaho, USA, Dept. of Physics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6 Canada, University of Calgary

  • Ernest Henley

    Green River College, University of British Columbia, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, BYU-Idaho Dept. of Physics, University of Washington, Applied Physics Technologies, Inc., Montana State University, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Southern Oregon University, Oregon State University Department of Physics, Oregon State University Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Neutron Research, Physics Department, Oregon State University, University of Idaho, University of Wyoming, Department of Physics, Montana State University, University of Portland, Idaho State University, WWU, Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Oregon Center for Optics and Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Lewis and Clark, Queen's University, University of Notre Dame, Idaho National Lab, TRIUMF, RCNP, Japan, University of Guelph, Mexico University, St. Mary's University, University of Montreal, Deep River, Dept. of Physics; Montana State University, Dept. of Plant Sciences and Pathology, Dept. of Chem. and Biochem.; Montana State University, Department of Physics, Shandong University, P. R. China, Department of Physics, University of Idaho, USA, Dept. of Physics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6 Canada, University of Calgary