Single-walled carbon nanotube growth using cobalt nanoparticles prepared by vacuum deposition on a surface-active liquid

Abstract

We demonstrate that the Co nanoparticles prepared by vacuum deposition on a surface-active liquid can be used as catalysts of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) growth using alcohol catalytic chemical vapor deposition method. These Co nanoparticles are embedded in the y-type zeolite powder. The Co nanoparticles used in this study is the highly efficient catalysts for CNT growth, which is comparable to the commonly-used Co–Fe binary metal catalysts embedded in the y-type zeolite. The preparation method of the metal nanoparticles used in this study is very simple. Thus, such metal nanoparticles might be promising as catalysts of CNT growth.