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Alternative Synthesis Method for Carbon Nanotubes
Author(s) -
Ilnicka Anna,
Lukaszewicz Jerzy P.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201904132
Subject(s) - carbon nanotube , materials science , raman spectroscopy , scanning electron microscope , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , carbon fibers , transmission electron microscopy , chemical engineering , laser ablation , furfuryl alcohol , nanotechnology , chemical vapor deposition , casting , composite material , laser , organic chemistry , chemistry , optics , physics , engineering , composite number , catalysis
It is demonstrated that carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be synthetized on the surface of an example carbon background, activated carbon, using the thermal conversion of poly(furfuryl alcohol) (PFA). This newly discovered CNTs synthesis method is an alternative solution to previously known methods, e.g., chemical vapor deposition, arc discharge, and laser ablation. Scanning electron microscopy and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy images deliver direct evidence of CNT formation through the thermal degradation of PFA in a temperature range of 500–700 °C. The discovered process consists of the free growth of CNTs from PFA without any mechanical patterning, casting, or molding. CNTs obtained in this manner resemble MWCNTs in size, though according to microscopic investigation the tubes do not possess the well‐developed layered structure of MWCNTs. Nonetheless, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy studies fully confirm that carbon (C) is the main elemental constituent of the tubes (C atomic content above 85%) and C atoms are structured in a manner typical of defected CNTs (D, G, and G' intensity ratios).