Abstract
Small and large single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) bundles from different-sized cobalt catalyst clusters have been synthesized and prepared through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method by using Co-acetate ethanol solution with silica nanoparticles. By controlling concentration of Co-acetate ethanol solution (0.2 wt% and 0.4 wt%), various sizes and types of bundle of SWCNTs are grown on the silica nanoparticle substrates. Synthesized SWCNT’s diameter ranged from 0.92 nm to 1.63 nm, and chirality of SWCNTs and their electronic property from high concentration solution show diverse characteristics. In high concentration solution, the large number of cobalt clusters is induced to merge on the surface of silica nanoparticles and then lots of nucleation points are provided by cobalt clusters for growth of SWNTs. These results give us a promising path to selectively synthesize various types of SWCNTs with different shapes of merged cobalt catalyst. Engineering bundle sizes of SWCNTs can be promising key for diverse applications of carbon nanotubes.
Highlights
In the last few decades, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been attracting attention due to their unique and outstanding structural, electrical, and mechanical properties [1]
We demonstrated size-selective growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) bundle by alternating the morphology of cobalt clusters formed on the surface of silica nanoparticles, by facile catalyst preparation and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process
Catalyst formed with ethanol-based Co-acetate solution on silica nanoparticles is very effective for the synthesis of SWCNTs
Summary
In the last few decades, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been attracting attention due to their unique and outstanding structural, electrical, and mechanical properties [1]. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process developed synthesizing technique of CNTs with highly controlled morphology and other properties [2] It is well-known that size of the catalytic nanoparticle is closely correlated with the tube diameters. The correlations between bundle size and properties of CNTs have been rarely discussed because of the complicated correlation between mechanism of CNTs bundling and synthesis methods These challenges can be fulfilled by synthesizing methods focused on relations between morphology of catalyst particles and bundle size of nanotubes. We demonstrated size-selective growth of SWCNTs bundle by alternating the morphology of cobalt clusters formed on the surface of silica nanoparticles, by facile catalyst preparation and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The results are expected to be useful for various applications of SWNTs due to their selectivity on the size and electrical properties of synthesized nanotubes
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