Carbon nanostructures grown on 3D silicon carbide foams: Role of intermediate silica layer and metal growth

•Carbon nanostructures (CNSs) were grown on 3D silicon carbide foams.•SiC foams were coated with intermediate mesoporous silica layers.•Effect of metal growth on the morphology of CNSs were studied.•Uniformity of CNSs can be obtained at a mild temperature of 700 °C.

Carbon nanostructures (CNSs) in the form of fibers and spheres have been successfully grown on 3 dimensional (3D) macroscopic silicon carbide (SiC) foams with the aid of mesoporous silica-films as interfacial layer via ethylene decomposition on nickel and iron as growth catalysts using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The effect of growth temperature from 600 to 900 °C on morphology, diameter and specific surface area of as-grown CNSs was studied. The as-grown CNSs were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) to examine the morphology, diameter, microstructure and defect. Crystallinity and degree of graphitization were determined by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectrometer. Textural properties such as specific surface area, pore size and pore volume were measured by nitrogen gas adsorption–desorption. Uniform distribution of CNSs on 3D SiC-foam was obtained at 700 °C for short synthesis time (30 min), as well as high surface area of above 100 m2/g. Degree of graphitization of CNSs grown on modified SiC substrates by using Ni as growth catalyst was higher than the one with the Fe-growth catalyst.