THE INFLUENCE OF SYNTHESIS PARAMETERS ON THE PRODUCTION OF MULTIWALLED CARBON NANOTUBES BY THE FERROCENE CATALYZED PYROLYSIS OF TOLUENE

Abstract

ABSTRACT A high yield (∼32 wt.%) of multiwalled carbon nanotubes was obtained in an iron catalyzed reaction. This was achieved in the temperature range 800–1000°C under an atmosphere of H2/Ar by an improved solution injection method in a horizontal reactor using toluene as carbon source and ferrocene as catalyst precursor. The pyrolysis temperature, ferrocene concentration, solution feeding rate and carrier gas flow rate all influenced the yield of carbon nanotubes and the thickness of the aligned carbon nanotube films. The carbon nanotubes was prepared in high purity using optimized pyrolysis conditions. Keywords: Carbon nanotubesFerroceneTolueneSEMTEM ACKNOWLEDGMENT We thank the University, the NRF and THRIP for financial support.