Simple Fabrication of Carbon Nanotubes from Ethanol using an Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis

Mikrajuddin Abdullah^1,2,*, Ferry Iskandar¹, Kikuo Okuyama¹

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, Hiroshima University,

1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi Hiroshima 739-8527, Japan

²Department of Physics, Bandung Institute of Technology

Jl. Ganeca 10 Bandung 40132, Indonesia

^*email address: din@hiroshima-u.ac.jp

Carbon nanotubes of diameter (20–100 nm) are synthesized by pyrolyzing a sprayed solution of Fe(C₅H₅)₂ and C₂H₅OH in an Ar atmosphere at relatively low temperatures (around 800 ^oC). The tubular structures consist of highly crystalline nested graphene cylinders (<200 concentric tubes). Tube diameter can be controlled by varying the furnace temperature, carrier gas flow rate and the Fe:C ratio within the precursor solution. This low cost route for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes is advantageous due the low pyrolytic temperature, safety, processable in atmospheric pressure, and scalable.

Download Article