Abstract:
Effects of catalysts on the processing and morphology of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) prepared by the flame combustion of ethanol were investigated. The respective growth rate of CNTs shows that the performance of catalysts is in the order of NiO>Cr2O3>MoO2>CoO. The average diameter of CNTs follows the sequence of CNTsMo≥CNTsNi>CNTsCr≥ CNTsCo. The crystallinity of CNTs is also dependent on the catalyst. The crystallinity of CNTs synthesized from Cr2O3 catalyst is lower than that from other catalysts. The results indicate that the growth rate, the diameter, and the crystallinity of CNTs can be manipulated by the selection of the catalysts.