Quasiphase Transition in a Single File of Water Molecules Encapsulated in (6,5) Carbon Nanotubes Observed by Temperature-Dependent Photoluminescence Spectroscopy

Phys Rev Lett. 2017 Jan 13;118(2):027402. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.027402. Epub 2017 Jan 12.

Abstract

Molecules confined inside single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) behave quite differently from their bulk analogues. In this Letter we present temperature-dependent (4.2 K up to room temperature) photoluminescence (PL) spectra of water-filled and empty single-chirality (6,5) SWCNTs. Superimposed on a linear temperature-dependent PL spectral shift of the empty SWCNTs, an additional stepwise PL spectral shift of the water-filled SWCNTs is observed at ∼150 K. With the empty SWCNTs serving as an ideal reference system, we assign this shift to temperature-induced changes occurring in the single-file chain of water molecules encapsulated in the tubes. Our molecular dynamics simulations further support the occurrence of a quasiphase transition of the orientational order of the water dipoles in the single-file chain.