The influence of formation conditions on the growth and morphology of carbon trees

Carbon trees, quite different from those previously reported, have been produced by the catalytic chemical vapor deposition of toluene using ferrocene as the catalyst precursor. The influences of formation conditions such as catalyst mass, toluene flow rate, and reaction time on the tree growth and morphology have been investigated. The yield of carbon trees is greatly affected by catalyst quantity. A lower toluene flow rate (50–100 ml/min) or shorter reaction time (10–30 min) leads to trees with thinner (several microns) and filamentous branches, while a higher toluene flow rate (greater than 200 ml/min) or longer reaction time (60–120 min) produces thicker (tens of microns) and spherical branches. Results suggest that the morphology of the carbon trees can be adjusted by varying the reaction conditions.