Abstract
We have encapsulated adamantane (C10H16) in single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Adamantane is a high symmetry cage like molecule with point group symmetry T-d and can be considered as a hydrogen-terminated diamond fragment. We confirmed and identified the successful filling by high resolution transmission electron microscopy, C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared and Raman spectroscopy. C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance of the adamantane filled nanotubes reveals that the adamantane molecules stop rotating after encapsulation. A blue-shift of the Raman active radial breathing modes of the carbon nanotubes supports this and suggests a significant interaction between encapsulated adamantane molecules and the single wall nanotubes. The encapsulated adamantane molecules exhibit red shifted infrared C-H vibration modes which we assign to a slight elongation of the C-H bonds. We observe both a nanotube diameter dependence of the adamantane filling ratio and a release rate of adamantane from the CNTs that depends on the CNT diameters. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.