CATALYTIC GROWTH OF SINGLE-WALL CARBON NANOTUBES FROM METAL PARTICLES

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have been synthesized at millig ram per hour rates by the catalytic decomposition of both carbon monox ide and ethylene over a supported metal catalyst known to produce larg er multiwalled nanotubes. Under certain conditions, there is no termin ation of nanotube growth, and production appears to be limited only by the diffusion of reactant gas through the product nanotube mat that c overs the catalyst. Further development of the catalyst geometry to ov ercome the diffusion Limitation may allow bulk catalytic production of SWNTs by supported metal catalysts. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. Al l rights reserved.