Carbon nanotube synthesis in a flame using.pdf
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DOI: 10.1007/s00339-003-2196-3
Appl. Phys. A 77, 885–889 (2003)
Materials Science Processing
Applied Physics A
r.l. vander wal1,
g.m. berger1
t.m. ticich2
Carbon nanotube synthesis in a flame using
laser ablation for in situ catalyst generation
1 NCMR, c/o NASA–Glenn Research Center, M.S. 110–3 21000, Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, OH 44135, USA
2 Centenary College of Louisiana, Dept. of Chemistry, 2911 Centenary Blvd., Shreveport, LA 71134, USA
Received: 4 November 2002/Accepted: 2 April 2003
Published online: 8 July 2003 ? ? Springer-Verlag 2003
ABSTRACT Laser ablation of either Ni or Fe is used to create
nanoparticles within a reactive flame environment for catalysis
of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Ablation of Fe in a CO-enriched
flame produces single-walled nanotubes, whereas, ablation of
Ni in an acetylene-enriched flame produces carbon nanofibers.
These results illustrate that the materials for catalyst particle
formation and CNT, SWNT or nanofiber, inception and growth
in the aerosol phase can be supplied from separate sources;
a metal-carbon mixture produced by condensation is not neces-
sary. Both particle formation and CNT inception can begin from
molecular species in a laser-ablation approach within the com-
plex chemical environment of a flame. Moreover, SWNTs and
nanofibers can be synthesized within very short timescales, of
the order of tens of milliseconds. Finally, high-intensity pulsed
laser light can destroy CNTs through either vaporization or co-
alescence induced by melting.
PACS 42.62 Fi; 81.05.Tp; 82.80.Ch; 81.15 Fg
1 Introduction
Although single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) were
initially discovered within an arc discharge [1], researchers
rapidly turned to laser ablation of metal–graphite compos-
ite targets within high-temperature tube furnaces for their
synthesis [2]. In the laser-ablation–furnace approach, a laser
pulse creates a superheated plasma consisting of carbon
and metal species from the composite target. The high-
temperature furnace slows t
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