Property control of new forms of carbon materials by fluorination

Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) based on the template carbonization technique were fluorinated in a temperature range 323–473 K by elemental fluorine. The fluorination of the carbon nanotubes results in functionalization and modification of pristine nanotubes with respect to adsorption and electrochemical properties. Selective fluorination of the inner surface of the carbon nanotubes, brings about a decrease in the surface free energy of the inner surface of the tubes and an increase in colombic efficiency of Li/nanotubes rechargeable cells in an aprotic medium. Electrochemical fluoride-ion doping of fullerene C60 thin films (250–450 nm) was carried out in a fluoride-ion conductive solution, MeCN solution of 1 M Et4NF·4HF. Galvanostatic oxidation yielded C60Fca.1–3 where fluorine exists as a semi-ionic species in the cavity surrounded by C60 molecules without forming covalent CF bonds