Effect of different carbon sources on the growth of single-walled carbon nanotube from MCM-41 containing nickel

Chemical vapor deposition growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) was studied using three representative carbon source sources: CO, ethanol, and methane, and a catalyst of Ni ions incorporated in MCM-41. The resulting SWCNTs were compared for similar reaction conditions. Carbon deposits were analyzed by multi-excitation wavelength Raman, TGA, TEM and AFM. Catalytic particles in the Ni-MCM-41 catalysts were characterized by TEM and synchrotron light source X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Under similar synthesis conditions, SWCNTs produced from CO had a relatively smaller diameter, while those from ethanol had a larger diameter. Methane could not produce SWCNTs on Ni-MCM-41 under the conditions used in this research. These results demonstrate that three carbon sources affect the dynamic balances between metallic cluster formation and carbon deposition/precipitation on the metallic cluster surface. Controlling SWCNT diameter relies on precisely regulating this dynamic process. Using different carbon sources we are able to shift this dynamic balance and produce SWCNTs with different mean diameters.