A new catalyzed process to prepare large-scale carbon nanowires based on CVD method

Large-scale carbon nanowires (CNWs) have been prepared by using a novel catalyzed process based on chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. In this process, C–Ni clusters were first deposited on substrates as template from the precursor of a mixture of Ni(NO3)2·6H2O and lightly polymerized C–N liquid. Then the CNWs were fabricated on the clusters in a CVD process in which C2H2 provided the carbon sources. The CNWs have an average diameter of 60 nm and lengths up to several microns. It was revealed that the CNWs were basically amorphous in structure, but with short-range order regions inside. The present method provides a new route to fabricate CNWs on a large scale.