The Effect of Alumina and Magnesia Supported Germanium Nanoparticles on the Growth of Carbon Nanotubes in the Chemical Vapor Deposition Method

Ghazaleh Allaedini,Siti Masrinda Tasirin,Payam Aminayi

doi:10.1155/2015/961231

Ghazaleh Allaedini, Siti Masrinda Tasirin + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/961231

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Abstract

The effect of alumina and magnesia supported germanium (Ge) nanoparticles on the synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method in atmospheric pressure was investigated. The TEM micrographs confirmed the formation of carbon nanotubes, and the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis suggested a tip-growth mechanism for the grown carbon nanotubes. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern indicated a graphitic nature of the carbon nanotubes. The obtained CNTs using Ge nanoparticles supported by MgO resulted in a higher degree of graphitization than the CNTs obtained using Ge nanoparticles supported by Al2O3. Raman spectroscopy analysis of the CNTs confirmed the presence of radial breathing modes (RBM), which verified the formation of CNTs. High frequency Raman analysis demonstrated that the degree of graphitization of the synthesized CNTs using magnesia supported Ge nanoparticles is higher than that of the alumina supported Ge nanoparticles with the values of (ID/IG) ratios equal to 0.45 and 0.73, respectively.

Highlights

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted attention in the last decade because of their mechanical, electrical, thermal, and chemical properties
This study reveals that the use of different supports strongly affects the crystallinity and the yield, morphology, and microstructure of the catalyst
The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy of the CNTs grown over the Ge nanoparticles supported by MgO resulted in a higher degree of graphitization when compared to that of the Ge nanoparticles supported by Al2O3

Summary

Introduction

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted attention in the last decade because of their mechanical, electrical, thermal, and chemical properties. Prominent properties of CNTs, including their strength and elasticity reported with Young’s module value of up to 2 TPa [1], the high aspect ratios of CNTs (1000 : 1), and their exceptional electrical conductivity at much lower loading when compared with stainless steel, have attracted a great deal of interest [2]. CNTs’ superior field emission properties, because of their emission at low voltages, make them preferred over conventional electron sources [3]. CNTs have been used for hydrogen storage [4]

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