The Effects of Confinement inside Carbon Nanotubes on Catalysis

The unique tubular morphology of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has triggered wide research interest. These structures can be used as nanoreactors and to create novel composites through the encapsulation of guest materials in their well-defined channels. The rigid nanotubes restrict the size of the encapsulated materials down to the nanometer and even the sub-nanometer scale. In addition, interactions may develop between the encapsulated molecules and nanomaterials and the CNT surfaces. The curvature of CNT walls causes the π electron density of the graphene layers to shift from the concave inner to the convex outer surface, which results in an electric potential difference. As a result, the molecules and…