Growth of carbon nanotube arrays on various CtxMey alloy films by chemical vapour deposition method

Carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays were fabricated on Ct-Me-N-(O) alloys with content of Ct in the range of 6-40 at.% by chemical vapour deposition. The Ct was a catalytic metal from the group of the following elements: Ni, Co, Fe, Pd, while Me was a transition metal from the group of IV-VII of the periodic table (where Me = Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ta, W, Re). Carbon nanotubes were found to grow efficiently on the alloy surface with its composition containing Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Hf, Nb or Ta. The growth of CNTs was not observed when the alloy contained W or Re. Additions of oxygen and nitrogen in the alloy facilitated the formation of oxynitrides and catalyst extrusion on the alloy surface. Replacement of the metals in alloy composition affected the diameter of the resulting CNTs. The obtained results showed that the alloy films of varying thickness (10-500 nm) may be used for the CNTs growth. The resulting CNT material was highly homogenous and its synthesis reproducible.