The structure of ammonia overlayers physisorbed onto the surface of single crystal graphite, determined by means of atomic beam diffraction

Adsorption of ammonia on graphene

We report on experimental studies of NH3 adsorption/desorption on graphene surfaces. The study employs bottom-gated graphene field effect transistors supported on Si/SiO2 substrates. Detection of NH3 occurs through the shift of the source-drain resistance maximum ('Dirac peak') with the gate voltage. The observed shift of the Dirac peak toward negative gate voltages in response to NH3 exposure is consistent with a small charge transfer (f approximately 0.068 +/- 0.004 electrons per molecule at pristine sites) from NH3 to graphene. The desorption kinetics involves a very rapid loss of NH3 from the top surface and a much slower removal from the bottom surface at the interface with the SiO2 that we identify with a Fickian diffusion process.

Sensitivity of Ammonia Interaction with Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Bundles to the Presence of Defect Sites and Functionalities

Ammonia adsorption on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) was studied by means of infrared spectroscopy at both cryogenic (approximately 94 K) and room (approximately 300 K) temperatures. At 94 K, vacuum-annealed SWNTs showed no detectable ammonia uptake. However, the ammonia adsorption was found to be sensitive to the functionalities and defects on the nanotube surfaces. NH3 adsorption was detected on HNO3-treated nanotubes, characterized by significant functionalities and defects, prior to vacuum annealing. NH3 desorbed from those nanotubes above 140 K, indicating a weak adsorbate-nanotube interaction (approximately 30 kJ/mol). Exposure of annealed samples to ambient air, which possibly regenerated functionalities and defects on nanotube surfaces, restored partially the ammonia uptake capacity. No ammonia adsorption on SWNTs was observed by infrared spectroscopy at room temperature with up to 80 Torr dosing pressure. This work suggests the influence of functionalities and/or defect densities on the sensitivity of SWNT chemical gas sensors. Our theoretical studies on NH3 adsorption on pristine and defective tubes, as well as oxidized tubes, corroborate these findings.

Dynamic and Spectroscopic Studies of Single Molecules Physisorbed on Graphite Substrates. 2. Application to the Ammonia Molecule

In the present paper, the theoretical approach developed in paper 1 is applied to an NH(3) molecule adsorbed on a graphite substrate. The potential energy surfaces (PESs) for the interaction between the molecule and the graphite crystal are described in detail. The molecule exhibits two quasi-equivalent angular position minima of energy ("up" and "down") along the perpendicular axis to the surface. The PES calculations also indicate that the NH(3) molecule has a rotational motion that is moderately hindered, with an energy barrier value of about 14 meV and also a quasi-free lateral translational motion above the surface, indicating a weak corrugation of the graphite (0001) surface. The isosteric heat of adsorption is calculated and is in agreement with the experimental one. Finally, the infrared absorption spectra for the vibrational mode frequency regions are obtained.

Nanotube molecular wires as chemical sensors

Chemical sensors based on individual single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are demonstrated. Upon exposure to gaseous molecules such as NO(2) or NH(3), the electrical resistance of a semiconducting SWNT is found to dramatically increase or decrease. This serves as the basis for nanotube molecular sensors. The nanotube sensors exhibit a fast response and a substantially higher sensitivity than that of existing solid-state sensors at room temperature. Sensor reversibility is achieved by slow recovery under ambient conditions or by heating to high temperatures. The interactions between molecular species and SWNTs and the mechanisms of molecular sensing with nanotube molecular wires are investigated.