In this work, using scanning electron microscopy, the morphology and structure of the initial and irradiated nitrogen-containing carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs), which were deposited on a titanium alloy substrate, were studied. It
was shown that ion-beam action leads to the aggregation of N-CNTs into agglomerates. This result is explained by an
increase in the chemical activity of the surface of nanotubes due to the formation of structural defects of the vacancy type and the oxidation of these structures in contact with the environment. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, it was found that the chemical state of carbon and nitrogen atoms in the walls of carbon nanotubes significantly changes when
preparing electrodes based on irradiated and initial N-CNTs. In particular, it was shown that as a result of ion-beam treatment the proportion of sp2-hybridized carbon decreases and the proportion of carbon atoms in C-CFn/C-C and –CF2 bonds increases due to partial bonding of the fluorine-containing polymer to the defective structure of the nanotube walls. In addition, it was shown that in irradiated nanotubes, the proportion of nitrogen atoms in the pyridine configuration and the oxidized form increases due to the formation of vacancy defects near Quaternary nitrogen in the walls of N-CNTs. It
was found that nitrogen in the oxidized form is mainly represented by pyridine oxide formed after N-CNTs contact with the environment. The results obtained will allow us to further establish the relationship between the features of the electronic structure of irradiated nanotubes in the composition of electrodes and their electrochemical properties. This will allow us to directly modify N-CNTs and use them for various electrochemical applications.