Comparative flame and furnace synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes

In this Letter, results are reported for flame synthesis of single-wailed c arbon nanotubes. A pyrolysis flame of CO/H-2 is established with introducti on of the nanocatalyst precursor particles as an aerosol created by drying a nebulized solution of iron or iron colloid (in the form of ferrofluid). R esults are compared to those produced by entraining the same catalyst aeros ol into a tube furnace. Optimum flame gas flows and overall gas composition are reported and interpreted in terms of temperature and particle residenc e time. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. AII rights reserved.