Effect of carbon nanotubes irradiation by argon ions on the formation of SnO2-x/MWCNTs composite

Methods of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) were used to investigate the influence of irradiation by argon ions of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the composites SnO2-x/MWCNTs formation. It has been shown that irradiation of the MWCNTs leads to the formation of structural defects and oxygen-containing groups in the walls of carbon nanotubes. The presence of the latest in MWCNTs walls leads to chemical interaction of the tin oxide with the surface of MWCNTs through formation of chemical SnOC bonds at the interfaces “Tin oxide-MWCNTs” at synthesis of the composite by CVD method. It has been established that the crystalline structure of the tin oxide clusters forming on surface of MWCNTs depends essentially on the defectiveness in the structure of the outer walls of carbon nanotubes.