CCVD preparation of highly uniform carbon micro- and nanocoil fibers

Micro- and nanosized carbon fibers with special helical structure have many promising applications. These structures can be used as reinforcing materials in polymer composites, wave absorption or tactile sensor elements. In this fiber preparation method the applied catalyst precursor were nickel (II) oxide nanoparticles. Sulfuric modification of nickel containing catalyst grain yields carbon fibers with special coiled structures in acetylene decomposition. The preparation of carbon fiber coils by the CCVD method was carried out between 700– 800 C using thiophene impurity. The catalyst particles and the observed structures were studied by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The lengths of fibers can even reach millimeter size and the average fiber diameter is 1 µm. The diameter of coils is 1–20 µm, the coil pitch is 0.5–1.5 µm. Carbon microcoils might have interesting applications in the near future.