A model for liquid-diffusion catalytically grown fibrous carbon material

A mechanism for the catalytically growth of vapor grown fibrous carbon (VGF C) preparing from the floating catalyst method has been proposed, in which liquid diffusion-determined diffusion of carbon atoms through catalyst part icles is described mathematically, and the physical and chemical properties of the catalyst particles during the growth process are taken into account . From the model the growth rate and grown length of VGFC are calculated th eoretically which coincides with the experimental data; and the necessity o f reducing gas such as hydrogen in preparing VGFC is explained as to reduce Fe3C, which acts as intermediate catalyst shown by the model. Fe3C formed on the surface of gamma-Fe will stop the growth of carbon fiber if they can not be reduced at once. Additionally, the growth temperature and diameter of VGFC are also discussed in the paper.