Formation of Thin Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes by Laser Vaporization of Rh/Pd-Graphite Composite Rod

Abstract

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were synthesized in high yield by laser vaporization of a Rh/Pd-graphite composite rod at 1200 °C. Lattice constants of the bundle were estimated from transmission-electron-microscope images and were found to be distributed between 1.0 and 1.5 nm. Nine Raman peaks originating from the breathing modes were observed at 204, 215, 229, 247, 262, 272, 287, 303 and 328 cm -1 . These frequencies and lattice constants sharply indicate the presence of the SWNTs indexed from (5,5) to (8,8) which are thinner than the SWNTs obtained using Ni/Co catalyst.