Theoretical Studies of Substitutionally Doped Single-Walled Nanotubes

Abstract EN

The rich chemistry of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is enhanced by substitutional doping, a process in which a single atom of the nanotube sidewall is replaced by a heteroatom.

These so-called heteroatom-substituted SWCNTs (HSWCNTs) exhibit unique chemical and physical properties not observed in their corresponding undoped congeners.

Herein, we present theoretical studies of both main group element and transition metal-doped HSWCNTs.

Within density functional theory (DFT), we discuss mechanistic details of their proposed synthesis from vacancy-defected SWCNTs and describe their geometric and electronic properties.

Additionally, we propose applications for these nanomaterials in nanosensing, nanoelectronics, and nanocatalysis.