Letter abstract
Nature Materials 1, 165 - 168 (2002)
Published online: 27 October 2002 | doi:10.1038/nmat755
There is a Corrigendum (February 2003) associated with this Letter.
Subject Categories: Nanoscale materials | Design synthesis and processing
Large-area synthesis of carbon nanofibres at room temperature
Bojan O. Boskovic1,3, Vlad Stolojan1, Rizwan U.A. Khan1, Sajad Haq2 & S. Ravi P. Silva1
Carbon nanotubes, first identified by Iijima1, require for their production a source of elemental carbon and a transfer of energy that is specific to the type of source and the growth environment. Methods developed so far involve arc discharge2, and vaporization using laser3, 4, pyrolysis5, 6 and chemical vapour deposition of hydrocarbons7. Here, we show growth of carbon nanofibres from radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition at room temperature, which was made possible by substituting the thermal energy requirements for the growth with plasma decomposition of methane on the Ni catalyst. Electron microscopy analysis provides evidence for a 'tip' growth model8, with the Ni catalyst particle attached to the tip of the nanofibre. Energy-filtered imaging shows the Ni catalyst has a surface layer rich in carbon, consistent with the formation of a eutectic Ni–C droplet as a nucleation site for the carbon nanofibres9, so that the carbon diffuses across the surface. The reduced distortion of the catalyst particles at low temperatures leads to a more uniform growth of the carbon nanofibres over large areas. The lower growth temperature allows for the removal of the silicon dioxide barrier layer associated with catalytic growth, and should allow in situ growth of nanofibres on relatively large areas of temperature-sensitive substrates, such as plastics, organics and even paper.
- Advanced Technology Institute, School of Electronics and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
- Advanced Technology Centre, Sowerby Building, BAE SYSTEMS, Filton FPC 267, Bristol BS34 7QW, UK
- Present address: Morgan Group Technology Ltd., Bewdley Road, Stourport-on-Severn DY13 8QR, Worcestershire, UK
Correspondence to: S. Ravi P. Silva1 e-mail: s.silva@surrey.ac.uk
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