Boron–carbon nanotubes from the pyrolysis of C 2H 2–B 2H 6 mixtures

Abstract

Boron-doped carbon nanotubes have been prepared by the pyrolysis of acetylene–diborane mixtures in a stream of helium and hydrogen. The nanotubes so obtained have compositions around C 35B. The presence of boron favours nanotube formation and the boron content does not vary with the depth. Considering that the nitrogen-doped nanotubes, reported recently (Chem. Phys. Lett. 287 (1997) 671) have the average composition C 35N, it may be possible to use a combination of these p-type and n-type nanotubes for certain applications.