The effects of 2Â MeV Ag ion irradiation on multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes were irradiated using 2 MeV Ag2+ ions with fluences 1 × 1015 and 1 × 1016 ions/cm2. The samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The graphene structure of the nanotube wall is found to be damaged upon irradiation. Although at a fluence of 1 × 1015 ions/cm2 the outer morphology of the samples remain unchanged, samples irradiated with a fluence of 1 × 1016 ions/cm2 show complete destruction of the graphene structure. The amorphous structure produced due to irradiation is found to show an increased number of sp3 hybridized carbon atoms.