Oxidation of Fe Nanoparticles Embedded in Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Exposure to a Bright Flash of White Light

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), upon exposure to the flash from a regular 35 mm camera, were found to ignite and produce small amounts of a bright orange solid. X-ray powder diffraction analysis revealed this solid to be composed mostly of Fe2O3, along with trace amounts of Fe3O4, originating from the Fe catalyst used in SWNT production. Upon TEM investigation, this material was further found to be composed of two different oxide morphologies, including nanoparticles entrapped within SWNT bundles and larger aggregates of fused grains.