Single-walled carbon nanotubes synthesized by chemical vapor deposition of C2H2 over an Al2O3 supported mixture of Fe, Mo, Co catalysts

Thi Thanh Cao, Thi Thanh Tam Ngo, Van Chuc Nguyen, Xuan Tinh Than, Ba Thang Nguyen and Ngoc Minh Phan

Abstract

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been successfully synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using acetylene (C₂H₂) gas as a carbon source and a mixture of Fe/Mo/Co on an Al₂O₃ support as a catalyst. The effects of the weight percentage (wt%) of metals in the Fe/Mo/Co/Al₂O₃ catalysts, growth time, gas flow rate and growth temperature on SWCNT growth were studied in detail. The optimum growth conditions were found to be a growth time of 60 min, a growth temperature of 750 °C, Ar/H₂/C₂H₂ flow rates of 420/100/14 sccm and a catalyst composition of Fe/Mo/Co/Al₂O₃=5/3/1/80 (wt%). The morphologies and structures of the grown SWCNTs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy techniques