Single-wall and multi-wall carbon nanotubes from camphor - a botanical hydrocarbon

Camphor (C10H16O), a botanical hydrocarbon, has been found to be a promising precursor of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Single-wall and multi-wall CNTs have been grown from simple pyrolysis of camphor in the temperature range 800-1050 degreesC in argon atmosphere at normal pressure using ferrocene as a catalyst. Single-wall nanotubes and their bundles could be prepared in low yield, but of uniform diameter 1.2-1.3 nm. On the other hand, multi-wall nanotubes of uniform diameter (20-40 nm) could be produced with a yield as high as similar to 90%. Structural characterizations have been done by TEM, HRTEM, EDX and Raman analyses. Good crystallinity, high purity, and absence of amorphous carbon and metallic particles are the essential features of camphor-grown nanotubes. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.