Direct growth of carbon microfibres on SiO 2 particles by chemical vapour deposition from ethanol

Carbon microfibres (CMFs) were synthesised on SiO 2 particles by catalytic chemical vapour deposition at 1200°C using ethanol as carbon precursor, iron nitrate as the catalyst precursor, and nitrogen as a carrier gas. The structure and morphology of the products were characterised by X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. CMFs obtained after a deposition time of 5 h have a diameter of 5–10 μm and a length of a few hundred micrometres. In the deposition process, Fe–Si–O–C droplets were first formed on the surface of SiO 2 particles, and then carbon fibres grew as a result of the catalysis of the droplets. Carbon fibres have the higher graphitic structures when the deposition process is conducted at 1200°C.