Low temperature solvothermal synthesis of multiwall carbon nanotubes

We have successfully synthesized multiwall carbon nanotubes by a low temperature solvothermal approach at 310degreesC, in which ethoxylated alcohol polyoxyethylene (4) ether was used as carbon source. Transmission electron microscopy observations indicated that the multiwall carbon nanotubes have outer diameters between 5 and 20 nm, and inner diameters between 2 and 8 rim. The length of the multiwall carbon nanotubes is of several micrometres. A possible growth mechanism has been proposed.