Synthesis of carbon nanotubes via Fe-catalyzed pyrolysis of phenolic resin

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with 40-100 nm in diameter and tens of micrometers in length were prepared via catalytic pyrolysis of phenol resin in Ar at 673-1273 K using ferric nitrate as a catalyst precursor. Structure and morphology of pyrolyzed resin were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. Ferric nitrate was transformed to Fe3O4 at 673 K, and to metallic Fe and FexC carbide at 873-1273 K. The optimal weight ratio of Fe catalyst to phenol resin for growing CNTs was 1.00 wt%, and the optimal temperature was 1073 K. In addition, use of a high pressure increased the yield of CNTs. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that Fe catalysts facilitate the CNTs growth by increasing the bond length and weakening the bond strength in C2H4 via donating electrons to the C atoms in it.