Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals Science and Technology. Section A. Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals, Vol.340, 763-768, 2000
Potassium doped single wall carbon nanotubes: Resistance under pressure
We report in situ measurements of four-probe de resistance (R) of K-doped purified single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) "buckypaper" as a function of quasi-hydrostatic pressure. Doped samples show completely different behavior compared to that of pristine nanotubes in the pressure range up to 90 kbar. The characteristic increase in the resistance of pristine buckypaper above 10 kbar, associated with the formation of kinks or/and twists of tubes, is not observed in K-doped samples. This may originate from I)a substantial change in electronic band structure of donor intercalated nanotubes, 2) completely different transport properties of defect structures, or 3) higher stiffness of doped SWNT's which prevents formation of kinks and twists in this pressure range. On deintercalation, the pristine behavior of R(P) is restored, establishing the reversibitity of potassium vapor-transport doping.