Low-temperature synthesis of large-area CNx nanotube arrays.
Well-aligned nitrogen-doped multiwall carbon nanotube arrays have been successfully grown over large areas on quartz and silicon wafers by floating-catalyst chemical vapor deposition at low temperatures (600 degrees C). These nitrogen-including nanotubes, derived from pyridine-ferrocene mixtures, have smaller outer diameters but larger inner diameters compared with carbon nanotubes grown from a xylene-ferrocene mixture under similar conditions. The N-doped nanotubes exhibit bamboo-like structures in the core. Elemental analysis and electron energy loss spectroscopy analysis show that the as-prepared nanotubes contain as much as 2.62 wt.% N, with most of the N concentrated in the inner few shells of the nanotube. Such large-scale arrays of well-aligned N-doped nanotubes on silicon wafers have a current density as high as 23.8 mA/cm2 at an applied electric field of 17 V/micron, which can be further improved by patterning the tubes and coating the silicon substrate with a conductive thin metal film for the fabrication of flat panel displays.
Qian
Dali
D
Center for Applied Energy Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
Andrews
Rodney
R
Jacques
David
D
Kichambare
Padmakar
P
Lian
Guoda
G
Dickey
Elizabeth C
EC
D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods; D006358:Hot Temperature; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D011791:Quartz / Q000737:chemistry; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature
D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D011791:Quartz; D009584:Nitrogen; D012825:Silicon