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Updated: Jun 9, 2025
Fabrication, Densification, and Replica Molding of 3D Carbon Nanotube Microstructures
Published on: July 2, 2012
Controlled Growth of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Films by Iron-assisted Floating Solid Catalyst Chemical Vapor
Xiaodan Li1,2,3, Tianze Tong1, Liya Zhang4
1Center for Nanochemistry, Beijing Science and Engineering Center for Nanocarbons, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China.
Abstract:
Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) films, with exciting electronic properties are increasingly important for next-generation technologies. Here, an Iron-assisted floating solid catalyst chemical vapor deposition (IA-FSCCVD) method is developed for the controlled growth of high-quality and high-purity SWNT films. Titanium carbide nanoparticles with a high melting point are used as the solid catalysts, which provide a stable template for SWNT growth through the perpendicular growth mode. Trace amounts of iron are introduced to increase the efficiency of SWNT growth. Gas chromatography measurements and density functional theory show that the gas-phase iron acts as a pre-cracking assistance for the carbon source, promoting the growth of SWNTs. Carbon nanotube films with a high quality (average IG/ID = 166) are successfully prepared, a small diameter deviation (mean diameter of 1.6 nm), and a high content of SWNTs (97%) using the IA-FSCCVD platform. This work provides a powerful way to prepare the carbon nanotube aggregates with a controlled structure.
