In situ single walled carbon nanotube growth using a Q500 TGA

Szyniszewski, Marcin and Oakland, Chloë and Rooney, Aidan and Verre, Andrea Francesco and Worrall, Stephen David (2015) In situ single walled carbon nanotube growth using a Q500 TGA. TA Instruments Applications Library.

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Abstract

Using the Q500 Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) it is demonstrated that it is possible to monitor the real time growth of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) by Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) on SiO 2 supported Ni catalyst. The catalyst is made by first dissolving Ni(NO 3)·6H 2 O and SiO 2 in acetone and then allowing the acetone to evaporate. The resulting powder is then thermally decomposed in the Q500 TGA under an inert atmosphere of Ar(g) to generate SiO 2 supported NiO. The CH 4 (g) carbon precursor is then introduced, reducing the NiO to Ni and initiating the CVD growth of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs). Thus both the formation of the catalyst and the growth of SWCNTs are monitored in real time by this method. The CVD grown carbon is confirmed as containing SWCNTs by Raman Spectroscopy. We believe this to be the first example of SWCNTs grown by CVD in a TGA.