Methods for TEM analysis of NIST’s SWCNT SRM

Published

March 25, 2010

Author(s)

Roy H. Geiss, Elisabeth Mansfield, Jeffrey A. Fagan

Abstract

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is developing a series of single-walled carbon nanotube, SWCNT, reference materials, RMs, to provide researchers with well characterized materials for their applications. The SWCNT reference materials will be introduced as a series of three types of material: (1) raw soot characterized for composition, (2) purified (> 90 % SWCNT) bucky paper and (3) dispersed, length-sorted populations characterized by length. The first material, bulk raw soot, is expected to be certified for atomic composition by NIST’s highest standards, making it a Standard Reference Material (SRM). For the second material, the raw soot will be further processed through dispersing, filtration and washing to yield a bucky paper sample, which will be certified for composition. In the third material, raw soot will be taken through a purification and length-sorting procedure to yield a series of surfactant-suspended, length sorted tubes classified as “long,” “medium,” and “short.” General measurements made on these materials include transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Raman, ultraviolet-visible-near infrared and fluorescence spectroscopy. TEM is used in the analysis of SWCNT as a qualitative technique which provides a measure of purity for a given sample. TEM allows for the characterization of nanotube type (i.e., multi-walled, single-walled) and the degree of bundling in the structures. Electron-diffraction information from isolated SWCNT samples using the TEM can also be used to characterize the chirality.

Proceedings Title

Microscopy and Microanalysis 2010 Proceedings

Conference Dates

August 1-5, 2010

Conference Location

Portland, OR

Conference Title

Microscopy and Microanalysis 2010

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

Carbon nanotubes, SRM, standard reference material, TEM

Citation

Geiss, R. , Mansfield, E. and Fagan, J. (2010), Methods for TEM analysis of NIST’s SWCNT SRM, Microscopy and Microanalysis 2010 Proceedings, Portland, OR (Accessed March 22, 2025)