Regrowth analysis of multiwalled carbon nanotube forests

Abstract

The multiple regrowth of spin-capable multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) forests has been performed without additional catalyst films. Fe films of 6 nm thickness were deposited as catalysts, after which as-grown MWCNT forests were removed to reuse the initial catalyst. We observed that the initial catalysts could be reactivated by thermal annealing, and the annealing time affects the surface morphology of the catalyst. We determined the variable parameters for size control of the reactivated catalyst so that it can be reused for multiple growth cycles while still maintaining a sufficiently high particle density to support the growth of MWCNT forests.