Direct Growth of Carbon Nanotubes with a Catalyst of Nickel Nanoparticle-coated Alumina Powders

摘要

Ni nanoparticle-coated alumina ceramic powders were used as catalysts to synthesize carbon nantubes (CNTs) with doped ceramic nanocomposites. The CNTs were prepared using microwave plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition (MPECVD) with Ni nanoparticle-coated alumina powders using methane (CH(4)) and hydrogen (H(2)) gases. The CNTs were grown at different temperatures (400 degrees C, 500 degrees C, 600 degrees C, and 700 degrees C) to confirm the effect on the characterization of the process temperatures. CNTs were grown with different growth times (5, 10, 30, and 60 minutes) at 600 degrees C to confirm the growth mechanism of the CNTs on alumina powders. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images showed growth trendsof the CNTs for various temperatures and growth times. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) images showed that the CNTs were randomly curved and that their shapes had bamboo-like multi-walled structures.