Fluorination of Carbon Nanostructures and Their Comparative Investigation by XPS and XAES Spectroscopy

Abstract

X‐ray photoelectron (XPS) and Auger electron (XAES) spectroscopies have been used to investigate fluorine interaction with surfaces of nanocarbons. MWCNT, SWCNT and Fiber were fluorinated in F₂ and HOPG in ClF₃ atmosphere at room temperature. The performed measurements imply that the surface of the samples is inert to the environmental before and after fluorination. The XPS spectra show that MWCNT and Fiber after fluorination have similar composition, which includes CF, CF₂ and CF₃ states, but MWCNT includes CF₄ state as well. During defluorination of the fluorinated HOPG sample with initial C‐F bonds the formation of CF₂ and CF₃ states has been observed. XAES spectra show the absence of C‐F bonding in the outer layers of fluorinated HOPG, MWCNT and Fiber, while C‐F bonding exists in SWCNT.

Keywords:

• Nanocarbon
• HOPG
• fluorination
• XPS
• Auger