Study of the interaction between copper and carbon nanotubes

Copper deposited by thermal evaporation onto pristine and oxygen plasma treated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) diffuse over the CNT surface, coalescing and forming crystalline islands. The nucleation sites of the islands are preferentially defects, and more homogeneous island dispersion was observed at the CNT oxygen functionalized surface. The presence of weakly bound oxygen atoms at the CNT surface induces the formation of Cu-O bonds at the Cu/CNT interface, as described through density functional calculations. Exposure to air allows further oxidation to facetted crystalline Cu O. Oxygen plasma pre-treatment represents a promising route for homogenous disperse Cu O nanoparticle decoration of CNTs.