Characterization of Co-catalyzed Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes by High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe dependence of characteristics of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) on the microstructure of cobalt catalysts are intensively investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HREM). The cobalt catalysts are prepared by either molecule beam epitaxy (MBE) or by DC magnetron sputtering, followed by MWCNT growth by microwave plasma CVD. The MBE-grown Co thin films consist of large epitaxial grains, whereas the Co nanoparticles of FCC or HCP crystal structures can be directly grown on Si(001) substrates by sputtering. Various HREM technologies are applied to completely characterize the microstructures of those Co catalysts and MWCNT. The results reveal that the morphology and microstructures of MWCNT are greatly controlled by the characteristics of Co catalysts. Better quality of carbon nanotube can be grown by FCC cobalt rather than HCP cobalt. The different effects of cobalt catalysts on MWCNT are discussed in this paper.