Interaction kinetics of atoms and molecules on carbon nanotube surfaces

We review recent experimental investigations of the interaction of gases with the surface of single-wall carbon nanotube bundles. We discuss thermal desorption spectra of both non-polar and polar adsorbates for low and high coverage. We show experimental results for diffusion processes of Xe along and within carbon nanotube bucky paper material, which is consistent with a recently proposed coupled desorption diffusion (CDD) model. We further discuss details of the interaction of ammonia with carbon nanotube surfaces, including the experimental investigation of the influence of adsorbed ammonia on the electrical transport properties of carbon nanotubes under ultra-high vacuum conditions.