Various temperature effects on the growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by thermal chemical vapor deposition (TCVD) method

The growth behavior of carbon nanotubes synthesized from C2H2 at the temperature range of 700 to 900°C and using thermal chemical vapor deposition (TCVD) method has been investigated. Thin films of nickel (Ni) catalyst, were coated on SiO2 substrates by ion beam sputtering technique. The formation of catalytic nickel nanoparticles was much increased when using NH3 as the environment gas which implies both the formation and the separation of graphitic layer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman results show that the temperature of growth is the effective parameter on the formation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs).