LASER-ASSISTED PRODUCTION OF MULTI-WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES FROM ACETYLENE

A production method of carbon nanotubes using the catalytic decomposit ion of acetylene has been developed. Metal clusters are formed by lase r vaporisation of solid nickel in situ in a hot reaction tube containi ng a mixture of acetylene and argon. The laser generated clusters act as catalysts for the growth of nanotubes. With this method multi-walle d tubes were obtained with inner diameters of 3-10 nm and outer diamet ers of 10-100 nm. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the tube s are highly graphitic. The results obtained are explained by a growth model. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.