Abstract

TETANA, Z.N. et al. The synthesis of nitrogen-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes using an Fe-Co/CaCO₃ catalyst. S.Afr.j.chem. (Online) [online]. 2012, vol.65, pp.39-49. ISSN 1996-840X.

A CVD method was used to prepare high-quality nitrogen-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (N-MWCNTs) using acetonitrile as the nitrogen and carbon source and acetylene as a carbon source over an Fe-Co/CaCO₃ catalyst in the temperature range 700-850 °C. This represents a continuation of earlier work in which Fe-Co on CaCO₃ was used to make undoped carbon nanotubes. The effect of synthesis parameters (growth temperature and CH₃CN vaporization temperature) on the yield, size, quality, morphology and thermal stability of the N-MWCNTs was studied. The resulting materials were characterized by TEM, SEM, TGA, BET, XPS, CN elemental analysis and Raman spectroscopy. TEM analysis revealed that the nanotubes exhibit bamboo-like structures with rough surfaces and a relatively uniform diameter. The bamboo compartment distance decreased with increase in synthesis temperature due to the increased nitrogen content in N-MWCNTs. The SEM examination showed that at high synthesis temperatures carbon spheres (CSs) with chain-like morphology and large sizes were also formed along with the N-MWCNTs. The XPS and CN elemental analysis revealed that nitrogen atoms were successfully doped into the carbon walls. The amount of nitrogen incorporated in the N-MWCNTs varied with increasing growth time and CH₃CN vaporization temperature.

Keywords : Carbon nanotubes; CVD synthesis; nitrogen doping; acetonitrile; Fe-Co/CaCO₃ catalyst.

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