Surface structure of untreated parallel and fishbone carbon nanofibres: an infrared study.

Abstract

KEYWORDS:carbon ¥carbon nanofibres ¥IR spectroscopy ¥nanostructures¥surface analysisCarbon nanofibres (CNFs) that are obtained by catalytic decom-position of carbon-containing gases over small metal particlesare a promising catalyst support material for liquid-phasereactions. The fibres are mechanically strong and can withstandthe forces executed on them by stirring the reaction medium.Furthermore, the skeins of fibres possess a mesoporous macro-structure, decreasing the chance of encountering diffusionlimitation during catalytic reactions in the liquid phase. Thestructure of the CNFs can be tuned by changing the growthconditions and their hydrophobicity can be altered by surfaceoxidation. Moreover, carbon nanofibres are very pure. No othertypes of carbon, such as carbon onions, fullerenes or amorphouscarbon, are formed and no heteroatoms such as sulfur areincorporated during synthesis. They are chemically inert and canbe used in strongly acidic or basic environments. Finally, whengrown in a fluidised bed reactor, carbon nanofibres can beobtained at low cost, making an application as catalyst supportmaterial possible.