Size-controllable fabrication of Cu nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes by simple heating

•Cu nanoparticles were synthesized on the surface of carbon nanotubes by heating.•The particle size could be tuned by controlling the temperature and duration.•The possible nucleation and growth mechanisms of nanoparticles were discussed.

In this paper, employing simple heating inside the transmission electron microscope, we demonstrated the decoration of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by Cu nanoparticles (NPs). More significantly, the particle sizes could be effectively controlled by simply controlling the temperature and duration. It is believed that the nucleation and growth of NPs results from the deposition of generated Cu vapor as well as the surface diffusion of Cu on the CNTs at elevated temperature.

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