Thermal degradation of single-walled carbon nanotubes

An optical absorbance technique was used to study the burning temperature and burning mechanism of vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotube (VA-SWNT) films. The use of this simple optical method is shown to be consistent with the standard thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) method, but it can be applied to a very small amount of SWNTs. Experimental results indicate that burning of the VA-SWNTs is not localized, but occurs throughout the film. Furthermore, thick films have a slightly higher burning temperature than thin films synthesized under the same conditions. This is believed to be due to a higher bundle density and more uniform distribution of SWNTs within thicker films.