Some aspects of carbon nanotubes technology

Different carbon sources (e.g. hydrocarbons, oxygen containing organic compounds) were evaluated for their use in the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process of carbon nanotube (CNT) production with regards to their efficiency and environmental safety. The effects of both the carbon source and gas feed rates on the yield of the obtained CNT's were determined. The data obtained indicate that intermediate species formed in gasphase thermal transformations of carbon sources play important roles in the CVD process of CNTs growth. Particularly, it is supposed that ketene, which is an intermediate species in the thermal decomposition of acetone, is the immediate source of carbon for CNTs growth in the CVD processes utilizing acetone as a carbon source.