Mechanisms of titania nanoparticle mediated growth of turbostratic carbon nanotubes and nanofibers
- Author(s)
- A. Kudo, S. A. Steiner, B. C. Bayer, Piran R. Kidambi, S. Hofmann, M. S. Strano, B. L. Wardle
- Abstract
Turbostratic carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and nanofibers (CNFs) are synthesized by chemical vapor deposition using titania nanoparticle catalysts, and a quantitative lift-off model is developed to explain CNT and CNF growth. Micron-scale long turbostratic CNTs and CNFs were observed when acetylene is utilized as a carbon feedstock, and an alumina substrate was incorporated to improve the homogeneity of catalyst distribution. Turbostratic CNTs/CNFs are always found attached to nanoparticle corners, in the absence of the graphitic cage that is typically observed with metal nanoparticle-mediated growth. The observed morphology in turbostratic CNTs/CNFs supports a model in which several layers of graphene lift off from high-curvature corners of the titania nanoparticle catalysts. This model explains a key feature, which differentiates the growth of turbostratic CNTs/CNFs via non-metallic nanoparticles from growth using standard metal nanoparticle catalysts. The observed CNT/CNF growth and the accompanying model can impact the assessment of other metal-oxide nanoparticle catalysts, with the findings here contributing to a metal-free synthesis of turbostratic CNTs/CNFs.
- Organisation(s)
- Physics of Nanostructured Materials
- External organisation(s)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), University of Cambridge
- Journal
- Journal of Applied Physics
- Volume
- 122
- No. of pages
- 10
- ISSN
- 0021-8979
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4990291
- Publication date
- 07-2017
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 103018 Materials physics
- Keywords
- Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
- Portal url
- https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/mechanisms-of-titania-nanoparticle-mediated-growth-of-turbostratic-carbon-nanotubes-and-nanofibers(b7c79984-4e29-458d-b197-026339795682).html