A simple gas-solid route to functionalize ordered carbon.

The reaction of nitric oxide (NO) and carbonaceous materials generates nitrogen functionalities on and in graphitic carbons and oxidizes some of the carbon. Here, we have exploited these phenomena to provide a novel route to surface-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). We investigated the impacts of NO on the physical and chemical properties of industrially synthesized multiwalled carbon nanotubes to find a facile treatment that increased the specific surface area (SBET) of the MWCNTs by ∼20%, with only a minimal effect on their degree of graphitization.