Flame Synthesis of Carbon Nanorods with / without catalyst

The carbon nanorods (CNR’s) were synthesized using flame reactor with diffusion burner. The growth of carbon nanorods in presence and absence of catalyst has been studied. The role of ferrocene as catalyst in the synthesis of carbon nanorods was investigated using a Flame Reactor at different oxygen to fuel ratios. The fuel used over here is acetylene. The fuel i.e., acetylene to oxygen ratio is also optimized to produce the carbon nanorods in presence of cataylst. The carbon nanorods showed a very good result with increasing yield and decreasing diameter with the use of catalyst. The morphology, purity and crystal structural characterization of CNR’s was carried out using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. From the analysis it was observed that in the presence of ferrocene, the density of CNR’s increased with variable lengths between 10 – 50 micrometers (μm) with an average tube diameter range of 150 – 300 nanometers (nm), when compared to a non-catalytic synthesis which yielded CNR’s with lengths and diameter ranging from 10 -180 micrometers (μm) and 3-10 micrometers (μm) respectively. These carbon nanorods can be widely used in various applications such as electronic devices, semi-conducting materials, electrodes, hydrogen storage and composites for its outstanding properties.