6 research outputs found
Temperature dependence of electric resistance and magnetoresistance of pressed nanocomposites of multilayer nanotubes with the structure of nested cones
Bulk samples of carbon multilayer nanotubes with the structure of nested
cones (fishbone structure) suitable for transport measurements, were prepared
by compressing under high pressure (~25 kbar) a nanotube precursor synthesized
through thermal decomposition of polyethylene catalyzed by nickel. The
structure of the initial nanotube material was studied using high-resolution
transmission electron microscopy. In the low-temperature range (4.2 - 100 K)
the electric resistance of the samples changes according to the law ln \rho ~
(T_0/T)^{1/3}, where T_0 ~ 7 K. The measured magnetoresistance is quadratic in
the magnetic field and linear in the reciprocal temperature. The measurements
have been interpreted in terms of two-dimensional variable-range hopping
conductivity. It is suggested that the space between the inside and outside
walls of nanotubes acts as a two-dimensional conducting medium. Estimates
suggest a high value of the density of electron states at the Fermi level of
about 5 10^{21} eV^{-1} cm^{-3}.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures. EM photographic images on figures 1a, 1b, 1c
attached as JPG files. For correspondence mail to [email protected]