Single-crystalline polytetrafluoroethylene-like nanotubes prepared from atmospheric plasma discharge

Atmospheric plasma polymerization of perfluorohexane was investigated in this letter. A large quantity of single-crystalline polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-like nanotubes were formed on a simultaneously deposited film at room temperature without any catalysts or templates. The outer diameter of the nanotubes varied from 60 to 1200 nm with a maximum aspect ratio up to 100:1. Transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction results indicated a single crystal close-packed hexagonal (cph) structure in the nanotubes. Polarization optical micrographs of the nanotubes showed their thermal stability comparable to PTFE. It is suggested that the plasma filament played a key role in the rapid formation of the nanotubes. This atmospheric plasma discharge synthesis can serve as a common method for nanofabrication of many other single-crystalline polymer systems. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.