Li-inserted carbon nanotube Raman scattering

Abstract The possibility of inserting lithium into single wall carbon nanotube bundles during the growth process is analyzed in this work by using the Raman technique as probe. The nanotubes were prepared by the arc discharge method by using catalysts prepared by mixing compounds containing lithium and as their counterpart, a similar mixture without this alkali-metal. The two pair of samples studied in this work were obtained with the following catalysts: (i) Li 2 CO 3 /NiO/CoO and NiO/CoO; or (ii) LiCo 0.5 Ni 0.5 O 2 and Ni/Co. Raman spectra reveal that the tangential bands profiles of the samples prepared with the catalyst containing lithium is considerably modified in both cases. In the case of the carbon nanotubes obtained using the LiCo 0.5 Ni 0.5 O 2 catalyst a down shift and severe broadening are observed in addition. Comparison of our results with those published previously for alkali-metals doped single wall carbon nanotubes allowed to conclude that lithium incorporation, actually, occurs during the growth process.