Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes synthesized on metal substrates from a single precursor

• Nitrogen doped CNTs are synthesized on Ni substrates from a monoethanolamine only.
• The atomic percentage of doped nitrogen were confirmed by XPS to 2.0–2.5 at%.
• The N-doped CNTs exhibited a bamboo-like, corrugated structure.
• The diameter of the N-doped CNTs increased as the RMS of the Ni substrate increased.

We report the synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by thermal chemical vapor deposition on metal substrates without additional catalyst or processing in the temperature range of 850–1000 °C. Monoethanolamine was used as a source of both carbon and nitrogen. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the concentration of nitrogen atoms in the CNTs was 2.0–2.5%. Electron microscope images confirmed that the CNTs prepared in this temperature range all exhibited bamboo-like, corrugated structures. The crystallinity of the N-doped CNTs increased with synthesis temperature. This study suggests that simple, low cost synthesis of nitrogen-doped CNTs on metal substrates is feasible.