Size- and shape-controlled synthesis of well-organised carbon nanotubes using nanoporous anodic alumina with different pore diameters

Abstract

This work aims at introducing the synthesis process of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) inside nanoporous anodic alumina (NAA) templates adopting a catalyst-free chemical vapor deposition (CVD) approach under different conditions. The nanotubular structure of NAA is prepared according to tow-step anodization process. This provides a unique platform to grow CNTs with precisely controlled geometric features. The structural features, crystalline structures and chemical composition of the resulting CNTs-NAA composites were systematically characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) as well as Raman spectroscopy. Preparing the CNTs according to this template technique allows us to obtain nanotubes which are open at one/both end(s) with a uniform diameter (10–200nm) along the pore length (1–100μm) without using any metal catalyst.