Electron diffraction and electron energy-loss spectroscopy studies of a hybrid material composed of coronene molecules encapsulated in single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Electron diffraction and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) studies were conducted on bundles of single-walled carbon nanotubes encaging coronene molecules (coronenes@SWCNTs). Selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern of the coronenes@SWCNTs suggests that the coronene molecules inside the SWCNTs are separated into segments. Each segment is a stack consisting of ∼ 10 molecules and has a different tilted condition with respect to the nanotube axis. EELS spectra of the coronenes@SWCNTs show characteristic structures due to interband transitions between the van Hove singularities of the SWCNTs, and also π-plasmon and π + σ plasmon (volume plasmon) peaks. The volume plasmon energy of 23.0 eV for the coronene@SWCNTs is larger than that of an empty SWCNT bundle, indicating a contribution from the valence electrons of the coronene molecules. This value for the volume plasmon energy was reproduced using a model with an average of 85% filling of the SWCNTs by the coronene molecules. Therefore, both the SAED and EELS observations suggest that the SWCNTs are highly filled with coronene molecules. Further indication was that interband transition energies of coronene molecules of the present coronenes@SWCNTs material may be different from those in isolated ones and/or in solid state.