Self Catalyzing Behavior of Kanthal Wire for Coating of Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were coated on kanthal wire without using any external transition metal catalyst. It was synthesized through thermal chemical vapour deposition technique at 800°C and in a flow of gas mixtures, that is, 100 sccm nitrogen, 25 sccm hydrogen and 20 sccm acetylene. Iron and chromium oxides from the surface of kanthal wire activate in hydrogen environment to form Fe‐Cr particles. These Fe‐Cr bimetallic catalyst particles then catalyze to grow CNTs on the surface of kanthal wire. It was characterized through scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray analysis and atomic force microscopy.