Direct and repetitive growth cycles of carbon nanotubes on stainless steel particles by chemical vapor deposition in a fluidized bed

Carbon nanotubes are synthesized directly on stainless steel (SS) 304 particles (ø70 μm) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in a fluidized bed system (FBCVD) without the addition of an external catalyst. The direct growth method was originally developed for a fixed thermal CVD furnace, it is shown here it can be extended to FBCVD in a demonstration of the ease of scale up of the direct growth method. The growth method is compliant with SS particles substrate microstructures in the form of dendrites. It is also shown the SS particles can be successfully recycled for a second growth sequence without having to repeat the particle pre-treatment.