Catalytical growth of carbon nanotubes/fibers from nanocatalysts prepared by laser pulverization of nickel sulfate
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Nebraska--Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0511 (United States)
Dispersed nickel sulfate (NiSO{sub 4}) microclusters on Si substrates were fragmented by pulsed excimer laser irradiation to serve as catalysts for carbon nanotube/nanofiber (CNT/CNF) growth. At proper fluences, NiSO{sub 4} clusters were pulverized into nanoparticles. The sizes of clusters/nanoparticles were found to be dependent on laser fluence and laser pulse number. By increasing the laser fluence from 100 to 300 mJ/cm{sup 2}, the size of disintegrated particles decreased drastically from several micrometers to several nanometers. It was found that laser-induced disintegration of as-dispersed NiSO{sub 4} clusters was mainly due to physical fragmentation by transient thermal expansion/contraction. Thermal melting of nanoparticles in a multipulse regime was also suggested. Hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) was used for growth of CNTs from the pulsed-laser treated catalysts. For samples irradiated at 100 and 200 mJ/cm{sup 2}, CNFs were dominant products. These CNFs grew radially out of big NiSO{sub 4} clusters, forming dendritic CNF bunches. For samples irradiated at 300 mJ/cm{sup 2}, dense multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNFs) with uniform diameters were obtained. It is suggested that elemental Ni was formed through thermal decomposition of NiSO{sub 4} clusters/nanoparticles during HFCVD. The size and the shape of the Ni aggregation, which were determined by the initial size of NiSO{sub 4} clusters/nanoparticles, might affect the preference in the synthesis of CNTs or CNFs.
- OSTI ID:
- 20787802
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 99, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2165403; (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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