Catalyst influence on the flame synthesis of aligned carbon nanotubes and nanofibers

Since prepared substrates offer an appropriate method for the selective production of uniform arrays of aligned carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers (CNF), it is important to illustrate the influence of different catalysts on the resulting nanostructures. The activity of three catalysts, iron in alloyed form as stainless steel, nickel, and platinum, on carbon nanostructure formation under identical conditions in an ethylene/air non-premixed flame was studied. The third transition metal Pt produced CNF structures of a different kind and its activity has not been previously characterized in flames. The catalyst and gas-phase conditions leading to the formation of these different structures were discussed. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 30th International Symposium on Combustion (Chicago, IL 7/25-30/2004).