Efficient strategy to Cu/Si catalyst into vertically aligned carbon nanotubes with bamboo shape by CVD technique

Abstract

Bamboo-shaped vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (bs-VACNTs) were fabricated on Cu/Si catalyst by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) technique under the atmospheric pressure. The catalytic material (Cu/Si) played a vital role in attaining bs-VACNTs, which is synthesized by drop cast method in a cost-effective manner. Using this catalytic support, we have achieved the tip growth bs-VACNTs at low temperature with well graphitization. The as-grown carbon material was then characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analyzer, high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) and Raman spectroscopy. XRD technique confirms the formation of hexagonal graphitic carbon planes of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The surface morphology of the material was characterized by SEM, which clearly infer vertically aligned CNTs. The nature, diameter and crystallinity were noticed by HRTEM and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. Further, we have also studied the electrochemical properties of the bs-VACNTs and it seems to be proved as highly electroconductive when compared to multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs).