Role of Subsurface Diffusion and Ostwald Ripening in Catalyst Formation for Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Forest Growth

Citations Over TimeTop 10% of 2011 papers

Abstract

Here we show that essentially any Fe compounds spanning Fe salts, nanoparticles, and buckyferrocene could serve as catalysts for single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) forest growth when supported on AlO(x) and annealed in hydrogen. This observation was explained by subsurface diffusion of Fe atoms into the AlO(x) support induced by hydrogen annealing where most of the deposited Fe left the surface and the remaining Fe atoms reconfigured into small nanoparticles suitable for SWNT growth. Interestingly, the average diameters of the SWNTs grown from all iron compounds studied were nearly identical (2.8-3.1 nm). We interpret that the offsetting effects of Ostwald ripening and subsurface diffusion resulted in the ability to grow SWNT forests with similar average diameters regardless of the initial Fe catalyst.

Related Papers

• → Impact of Oil Type on Nanoemulsion Formation and Ostwald Ripening Stability(2008)814 cited
• → Modeling the Competition between Polymorphic Phases: Highlights on the Effect of Ostwald Ripening(2016)21 cited
• → Ostwald ripening of crystalline precipitates in aqueous solutions at constant temperature and periodic temperature changes(1972)23 cited
• → Theory of Ostwald Ripening(1988)10 cited
• → Textural Evolution of Metemorphic Rocks due to Ostwald Ripening.(1995)