Mechanical alloying synthesis of carbon nanotubes in the presence of AlFe small clusters

Carbon nanotubes and small metallic particles (1–3 nm) have been obtained using mechanical alloying techniques. High resolution electron microscope (HREM) techniques have been employed for the structural characterization of the small metallic particles and for the carbon multiwalled nanotubes. Theoretical simulations based on molecular dynamics and quantum mechanic calculations have been used to get insights on the experimental structural results.