Synthesis of well-aligned non-tangled carbon nanotubes on a pulse electro-deposited Ni nanocrystalline substrate

Qiao Liang Bao, Xiang Ran, Han Zhang, Xiang Qi, Qiang Fu, Chun Xu Pan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Well-aligned non-tangled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown in ethanol flames on a nanocrystalline Ni layer that was electro-deposited on a Cu alloy substrate using periodic reverse pulse plating. The morphologies and microstructures of the nanocrystalline layers and the CNTs were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, AFM and laser Raman spectroscopy. It was found that a large area of vertically aligned CNTs with uniform density could be produced with high repeatability by controlling the thickness of the Ni nanocrystalline layer and time in the flame. A low electro-deposition time was favorable for the formation of thin layer nanocrystalline Ni with high local roughness and high catalytic activity on which well-aligned CNTs were generated with overcrowded growth that prevented them from becoming tangled. A low aspect ratio of CNTs was needed to keep them from tangling, and this could be adjusted by controlling the pulse electro-deposition parameters to form the desired catalyst particles. The best CNTs can be produced by passing ethanol through a nanocrystalline Ni layer supported substrate at 600°C for 1 min that had been electro-deposited at an output pulse frequency of 154 Hz with duty cycle of 38. 5% for 1 min.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)44-50
Number of pages7
JournalXinxing Tan Cailiao/ New Carbon Materials
Volume23
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2008
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Carbon nanotube
  • Nanocrystalline
  • Pulse electro-deposition

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