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Updated: May 31, 2026
Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
Application of fly ash as a catalyst for synthesis of carbon nanotube ribbons
Dilip C D Nath1, Veena Sahajwalla
1Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. dilip.nath@unsw.edu.au
Abstract:
The larger diameter-based carbon nanotube (CNT) ropes and ribbons are currently synthesized by catalytic decomposition of hydrocarbons with transition metal-based catalysts e.g., Co, Ni, Fe and Mo at 1100-1200°C, using chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and electric arc methods. We produced CNT ribbons by fly ash (FA) catalyzed pyrolysis of a composite film of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with FA at 500°C for 10min under a nitrogen flow of 2L/min. Different geometrical structures, e.g.; knotted and twisted, U- and spiral-shaped CNT ribbons were observed in the images of scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The widths of the CNT ribbons measured varied in the ranges 18-80nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed five types of carbon binding peaks, C-C/C-H (∼77%), C-O-H (∼9%), -C-O-C (∼5%), C=O (∼5%) and -O-C=O (∼3%). The ratio of intensities of G and D bands, IG/ID was 1.61 analysed by Raman Spectroscopy. CNT ribbons grown on the surface of FA have potential for the fabrication of high-strength composite materials with polymer and metal.
