OPTIMIZATION OF CATALYTIC PRODUCTION AND PURIFICATION OF BUCKYTUBES

Carbon nanotubes were produced in large amounts by catalytic decomposi tion of acetylene in the presence of supported Co and Fe catalysts. Th e influence of various parameters such as the way of catalyst preparat ion, the nature of the support, the size of active metal particles, an d the reaction conditions on the buckytube formation was studied. The process was optimized towards the large-scale production of buckytubes having the same diameters as the fullerene nanotubes obtained from th e are-discharge method. The separation of the buckytubes from the cata lyst was also achieved.