Effect of Iron and Cobalt Catalysts on The Growth of Carbon Nanotubes from Palm Oil Precursor

Catalysts which are typically a transition metal is mandatory and plays an important role in the production of CNT. In this work, the effect of iron (Fe) and cobalt (Co) nitrate catalyst on the growth of carbon nanotubes (CNT) were systematically studied. Green bio-hydrocarbon precursor namely palm oil was used as a precursor. The synthesis was done using thermal chemical vapour deposition method at temperature of 750 degrees C for 15 min synthesis time. The Fe and Co solution were spin-coated separately on silicon substrate at speed of 3000 rev. min-1. The CNT characteristics were analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The experimental results revealed that CNT properties were strongly affected by the catalyst type. CNT catalyzed by Co yields large diameter, crooked tube and lower quality, whereas CNT produced by Fe catalyst results in the smallest diameter and reasonably good graphitization. As a conclusion, Fe was considered as the optimum catalyst for better CNT structure and crystallinity. This was due to efficient, uniform and stable Fe catalytic activity as compared to Co catalyst in producing CNT.