Carbon-assisted catalyst pretreatment enables straightforward synthesis of high-density carbon nanotube forests

Dee, Nicholas T.; Li, Jinjing; Orbaek White, Alvin; Jacob, Christine; Shi, Wenbo; Kidambi, Piran R.; Cui, Kehang; Zakharov, Dmitri N.; Janković, Nina Z.; Bedewy, Mostafa; Chazot, Cécile A. C.; Carpena-Núñez, Jennifer; Maruyama, Benji; Stach, Eric A.; Plata, Desiree L.; Hart, A. John

doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2019.06.083

Carbon-assisted catalyst pretreatment enables straightforward synthesis of high-density carbon nanotube forests

Journal Article · Wed Jun 26 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Carbon

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2019.06.083· OSTI ID:1581239

^[1]; Li, Jinjing ^[1]; ^[2]; Jacob, Christine ^[1]; Shi, Wenbo ^[3]; Kidambi, Piran R. ^[1]; Cui, Kehang ^[1]; Zakharov, Dmitri N. ^[4]; Janković, Nina Z. ^[3]; ^[5]; Chazot, Cécile A. C. ^[1]; ^[6]; Maruyama, Benji ^[7]; Stach, Eric A. ^[8]; Plata, Desiree L. ^[3]; ^[1]

Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Swansea Univ. (United Kingdom)
Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States); Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Air Force Research Lab. (AFRL), Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (United States)
Air Force Research Lab. (AFRL), Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (United States)
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

In spite of extensive academic and commercial development, a comprehensive understanding of the principles necessary for high-yield production of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is lacking, whether in oriented films, bulk powders, or other forms. In chemical vapor deposition growth of CNT films on substrates, trace contaminants of carbon, such as deposits on the reactor tube walls, are known to cause inconsistency in key production metrics, including CNT density and alignment. Here, we show that trace exposure of the catalyst to carbon during initial heating of the catalyst film is a critical determinant of CNT yield, and this carbon exposure accelerates catalyst nanoparticle formation via film dewetting and increases the probability of CNT nucleation and the resultant density of the CNT population. Through controlled exposure of the catalyst to a trace amount of carbon, we show up to a 4-fold increase in bulk mass density for a given forest height, an 8-fold increase in local CNT number density, and a 2-fold increase in the growth lifetime, relative to a reference condition. We discuss potential mechanisms to explain the role of carbon exposure on the probability of CNT nucleation from nanoparticle catalysts, supported by microscopy and gas analysis.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-06CH11357; SC0010795; SC0012704

OSTI ID:: 1581239

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1572547

Report Number(s):: BNL--212500-2020-JAAM

Journal Information:: Carbon, Journal Name: Carbon Journal Issue: C Vol. 153; ISSN 0008-6223

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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