Capillarity and silver nanowire formation observed in single walled carbonnanotubes

Single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) exhibit similar capillarity properti es to those exhibited by multiple walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs); SWNTs, p reviously filled in low yield (ca, 2%) by solution chemistry techniques, ca n be filled in high yield (up to ca. 50%) by the liquid phase method; compo sitions from the KCl-UCl4 and AgCl-AgBr systems were used to fill SWNTs wit hout causing them significant chemical or thermal damage; in the case of th e latter, exposure to light or an electron beam resulted in the partial pho tolytic reduction of SWNT incorporated silver halides to continuous metalli c silver 'nanowires' within the capillaries.