Effects of substitutional B on oxidation of carbon nanotubes in air and oxygen plasma Original Research Article

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were doped with B at the initial loading of 1 and 2.5 wt.% and their oxidation behaviors in both air and oxygen plasma were studied to assess the effects of substitutional B in carbon oxidation and examine the hypothesis that the preferential attack by atomic oxygen on basal plane is due to delocalized π-electrons. The effect of substitutional B on oxidation of carbon nanotubes in both environments was found to be inhibiting; oxidation inhibition increased as B loading increased, but the structural changes after oxidation were quite different and this difference seems to be due to different oxidation mode. The results observed here support the hypothesis that the preferential attack by atomic oxygen on basal plane is due to delocalized π-electrons.