Facile diameter control of vertically aligned, narrow single-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Here, we report a diameter-controlled synthesis of vertically aligned (VA) single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) via catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CVD), enabled by ultrathin iron (Fe) catalysts on alumina (Al2O3) and low acetylene (C2H2) partial pressure. A long forest of sub-3-nm SWNTs up to one millimeter in height could be obtained without addition of hydrogen or moisture, and precise control of the SWNT diameters was successfully established. Key for the efficient growth of such arrays of narrow SWNTs is threefold: (a) growth temperature low enough to suppress catalyst agglomeration and Ostwald ripening, (b) C2H2 partial pressure below a certain level to extend the catalyst lifetime, and (c) size-matching at nanometer scale between Fe catalyst seeds and Al2O3 support asperities in order to mitigate the surface migration and undesirable enlargement of catalyst particles. Our findings can contribute to the facile achievement of uniform, dense arrays of high quality VA-SWNTs with narrow diameter distributions desirable for advanced nanofiltration and electronic applications.