Structure and magnetic response of a residual metal catalyst in highly purified single walled carbon nanotubes.

This article presents methods for detailed physical analysis of partial steps leading to the removal of residual metal catalyst nanoparticles (NPs) from single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and options for detecting negligible amounts of metal in samples possessing diamagnetic response. Based on the previous knowledge of the composition, structure and magnetic properties of NPs included in the commercial HiPco_raw and HiPco_SP SWCNTs, the properties of remaining NPs after the multi-step purification (oxidation followed by mild acid treatment) and annealing both under static and dynamic vacuum have been investigated. Thermogravimetry, X-ray diffraction, static and dynamic magnetic property measurements and the Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) experiments have been performed.