Wet catalyst-support films for production of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes.
A procedure for vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VA-CNT) production has been developed through liquid-phase deposition of alumoxanes (aluminum oxide hydroxides, boehmite) as a catalyst support. Through a simple spin-coating of alumoxane nanoparticles, uniform centimer-square thin film surfaces were coated and used as supports for subsequent deposition of metal catalyst. Uniform VA-CNTs are observed to grow from this film following deposition of both conventional evaporated Fe catalyst, as well as premade Fe nanoparticles drop-dried from the liquid phase. The quality and uniformity of the VA-CNTs are comparable to growth from conventional evaporated layers of Al(2)O(3). The combined use of alumoxane and Fe nanoparticles to coat surfaces represents an inexpensive and scalable approach to large-scale VA-CNT production that makes chemical vapor deposition significantly more competitive when compared to other CNT production techniques.
Alvarez
Noe T
NT
Department of Chemistry, The Richard E. Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Rice University, MS 222, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, USA.
Hamilton
Christopher E
CE
Pint
Cary L
CL
Orbaek
Alvin
A
Yao
Jun
J
Frosinini
Aldo L
AL
Barron
Andrew R
AR
Tour
James M
JM
Hauge
Robert H
RH
D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D007501:Iron; D000537:Aluminum Oxide