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Novel catalysts for low temperature synthesis of single wall carbon nanotubes
Author(s) -
Rümmeli M. H.,
Grüneis A.,
Löffler M.,
Jost O.,
Schönfelder R.,
Kramberger C.,
Grimm D.,
Gemming T.,
Barreiro A.,
BorowiakPalen E.,
Kalbác M.,
Ayala P.,
Hübers H.W.,
Büchner B.,
Pichler T.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.200669111
Subject(s) - carbon nanotube , nucleation , microelectronics , materials science , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , carbon fibers , laser ablation , catalysis , metal , chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , metallurgy , laser , physics , optics , composite number , engineering
Low temperature single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) synthesis is attractive as it would allow their synthesis to be compatible with microelectronics (below 500 °C) or biomolecular electronics (160 °C). We show that the presence of oxygen, introduced in the form of metal oxides, allows metals not normally associated with nanotubes synthesis to become active for the synthesis of SWCNT using laser ablation. Further, the results show metals with low melting points can be used, enabling SWCNT to be synthesized at low temperature (down to room temperature). At these low temperatures their nucleation cannot be explained via fullerene nucleation. We suggest a growth mechanism that places a stable oxidized ring as the root cause for the growth of SWCNT. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)