Carbon nanotubes grown by catalytic CO2 laser-induced chemical vapor deposition on core-shell Fe/C composite nanoparticles

The synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by catalytic laser-induced chemical vapor deposition (C-LCVD) was investigated. C-LCVD uses both ex situ synthesized catalyst nanoparticles and the controlled decomposition of gas-phase hydrocarbon mixtures. As catalysts, Fe/C composites of the core-shell type were used. A continuous-wave CO2 laser was employed to irradiate the ethylene/acetylene hydrocarbon precursors and to simultaneously heat a silicon substrate on which the carbon nanotubes were grown. The effects on carbon nanotube growth of both the iron-based nanocomposite particles and of the ethylene concentration were studied. The analysis suggests the feasibility of the C-LCVD process, in which the core-shell Fe/C catalysts comply with the prerequisite conditions of the CNT growth namely dispersion and supersaturation.