The synergistic effect of bremsstrahlung photons and intense laser radiation on the structural properties of carbon nanotubes

We present in this paper the influence of a synergistic radiation effect of both bremsstrahlung photons with maximum energy of 60 MeV and intense laser radiation (up to 60 KW cm−2) on the structural properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The defect formation (damage) in CNTs under separate irradiations of 60 MeV bremsstrahlung photon or intense laser and their combined irradiations has been investigated by Raman spectroscopy. The experimental results show that (i) our obtained natural CNTs are multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with a large number of structural defects, which are non-nanotube carbon impurities; (ii) the MWCNTs were not damaged by the irradiations of an intense laser and a bremsstrahlung photon beam with low electron fluency and the irradiation even leads to more purification/ordering; (iii) the reversible modification in non-irradiated and 60 MeV bremsstrahlung photon irradiated MWCNTs with variation of laser power density (LPD) have been received; (iv) the influence on the structural properties of MWCNTs induced by the combined irradiation was greater than the separate irradiation of a 60 MeV bremsstrahlung photon or intense laser radiation. The result also demonstrates that micro-Raman spectroscopy is a valuable, fast and non-destructive tool for the investigation of purification/ordering of CNTs