Catalytically grown carbon nanofibers are novel materials that are the
product of the decomposition of carbon-containing gases over certain
metal surfaces. Studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that the s
tructure and properties of the fibers can be tailored by careful contr
ol of a number of parameters including the nature of the metal surface
, the composition of the gas-phase reactant, the temperature, and the
incorporation of either gas-phase or solid additives. High-resolution
transmission electron microscopy studies have revealed that the nanofi
bers consist of well-ordered graphite platelet structures, the arrange
ment of which can be engineered to desired geometries by choice of the
correct catalyst system. When the data from these examinations are co
mbined with the information of the associated catalyst particle morpho
logy, it is possible to develop models that describe many of the struc
tural characteristics as well as some previously unknown mechanistic f
eatures of the various carbon nanofiber conformations.