Abstract

Well-aligned carbon multiwall nanotube (MWNT) arrays have been continuously synthesized by a floating catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method involving the pyrolysis of xylene-ferrocene mixtures. The CVD parameters have been studied to selectively synthesize nanotubes with required dimensions. A mixed tip-root growth model has been proposed for the floating catalytic CVD synthesis. Coarsening of the catalyst particle at the root end promoted MWNT wall coarsening (addition of new concentric graphene shells), while the smaller catalyst particle at the tip contributed to MWNT elongation. A two-step process in which ferrocene was fed for only five minutes to nucleate the DTs was developed to understand if a continuous supply of catalyst was necessary for continued growth. The results show that the ferrocene was only necessary for initial nucleation. To simplify the CVD process further, another two-step synthesis method was developed in which the ferrocene was pre-decomposed so that the nanotube nucleation could be isolated from the growth, enabling quantification of growth mechanisms and kinetics. Mass spectra and hydrocarbon analyses of the CVD reactor tail gas were performed to understand the pyrolysis chemistry.

Well-aligned N-doped and Ru-doped MWNT arrays have been produced by pyrolysis of pyridine ferrocene mixtures and xylene-ferrocene-ruthenocene mixtures, respectively. Various material characterization techniques were used to measure the dopant distributions and correlate the catalyst phase with the novel nanotube structures.

High-temperature annealing has been shown to be a viable means to remove both the catalyst particles and certain microstructural defects within the CVD-derived DTs. The phase transformation of catalyst during annealing has also been studied.

Homogeneous distribution of MWNTs in polystyrene matrices was achieved by an ultrasonic assisted solution-evaporation method. Addition of only 1 wt % DTs to polystyrene increased the polymer mechanical properties significantly. In-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) straining studies of MWNT-polystyrene composites revealed that the flexible nanotubes bridge the wakes of propagating matrix cracks regardless of their orientation. The in-situ studies also provide direct evidence of single MWNTs rupturing in a sword-in-sheath mechanism in the tensile direction. Shear fracture was also observed in tubes that were nearly parallel to the propagating cracks.