Effect of a Metallocene Catalyst Mixture on CNT Yield Using the FC-CVD Process

This work studies synthesis of carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet using the high temperature (1400 °C) floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FC-CVD) method. Three metallocenes—ferrocene, nickelocene, cobaltocene—and their combinations are used as precursors for metal catalysts in process. For source, an alcohol fuel, a combination methanol and n-hexane (9:1), is used. First, metallocenes were dissolved fuel. Then, fuel mixture was injected into tube furnace ultrasonic atomizer with Ar/H2 carrier gas ratio about 12/1. The CNTs from two or three reduces percentage impurity CNT sheet. However, there increase structural defects when mixtures catalysts. Furthermore, specific electrical conductivity highest ferrocene cobaltocene catalyst. Overall, multi-catalyst method described enables tailoring certain properties standard seems most appropriate large-scale manufacturing at lowest cost.