Intercalating 0.3 nm Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Channels of SAPO‐11 Crystals: Structural Changes

Abstract

AbstractX‐ray powder diffraction, single crystal X‐ray diffraction and Raman spectra were used to investigate the influence of water adsorption and the intercalating of 0.3 nm single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on a Si‐substituted AlPO4‐11 (SAPO‐11) crystal structure. Calcined SAPO‐11 crystal adsorbs water at room temperature, which results in significant structural changes because of the interactions between the moisture and the crystal lattice. However, there is no space for the existence of moisture when 0.3 nm SWNTs are intercalated in the channels of SAPO‐11 crystals. As a result, the crystal symmetry remains unchanged upon hydration. An increase in the structure collapse of the 0.3‐nm SWNTs results in more moisture molecules being captured inside the channels, which results in structural distortion. The channels become more elliptical, which leads to an increased interaction between the 0.3‐nm SWNTs and crystal channels, as evidenced by the blue shift of the radial breathing modes (RBM) in the Raman spectra.