Universal Anisotropic Condensation Transition of Gases in Nanotube Bundles

Author： Gatica S.M. Calbi M.M. Cole M.W.

ISSN： 0022-2291

Source： Journal of Low Temperature Physics, Vol.133, Iss.5-6, 2003-12, pp. : 399-406

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

Gases adsorbed within bundles of carbon nanotubes (inside of the nanotubes or in the interstitial channels between the tubes) exhibit a variety of phase transitions with the help of interactions between molecules in neighboring channels or tubes. Because the channels/tubes are widely separated, these transverse interactions are weaker than the (longitudinal) interactions within the same channel. The transition temperatures that result are therefore lower than those of typical two- or three-dimensional transitions of the same species of molecules. We discuss here the condensation transition of such a gas to form a liquid, expressing the transition behavior in universal form, where the reduced critical temperature T^*_c is a universal function of the reduced transverse interaction.