Nanotubos de carbono interagindo com selênio: uma simulação de primeiros princípios

Abstract

This work presents a theoretical study about the interaction between semiconducting carbon nanotubes (8,0) single-wall (SWNT), with selenium nanostructures by first principles calculations using the density functional theory. To simulate the adsorption of selenium atoms on SWNTs are done with three initial configurations with the selenium atoms in positions (i) BC (C-C bond); (ii) HC (hexagonal center site) and (iii) TOP (above the carbon atom). For these configurations we analyze the adsorption of atomic, dimmer and wire selenium on SWNTs and for some structures it was observed a physical adsorption (weak interaction) while for others a chemical adsorption (strong interaction) is observed depending on how these structures were functionalized. In the configuration on which a physical interaction is achieved, no considerable changes on the electronics properties are seen, as a consequence of the absence of hybridization between the SWNTs and selenium orbitals. Never the less, in the arrangements with chemical interactions significant alterations are verified on the electronic properties, in other words, a relevant hybridization of the selenium levels and the tube band near to the Fermi energy is noticed. However, analyzing the structural properties, we also observed changes on the final distances of selenium atoms, dimmer and wires when compared with the initials distances. In that way, experimental literature works had demonstrated the importance of a theoretical understanding of structures and electronics properties of selenium interacting with SWNTs, making relevant the connection between the theoretical results and the experiments.