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Progress in flame synthesis of carbon nanotubes

  • Weiwei HAN Peng WANG Yan WEI Huaqiang CHU Yong SUN Wenjian CAO
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  • 1. School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, Anhui 243002, China 
    2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, Anhui 243002, China

Received date: 2018-05-07

  Revised date: 2018-06-21

  Online published: 2019-02-12

Abstract

Flame synthesis of carbon nanotubes is a novel, energy efficient and low cost method. The flame method can simultaneously provide the carbon source and heat source needed for the preparation of carbon nanotubes, and has the potential to prepare carbon nanotubes on a large scale, over the existing conventional methods. Tremendous progress has been achieved during the past 20 years on not only improving the yields of carbon nanotubes and move progressively towards their mass production, but also on gaining a profound fundamental understanding of the nucleation and the growth processes. However, controlling the synthesis of carbon nanotubes in the flame is still a huge challenge, due to the extremely complex environment. The purpose of the present review is not to list all the experiments reported in the literature, but rather to identify trends and provide a comprehensive summary on the role of selected parameters in the flame. In this work, the structure and properties of carbon nanotubes were introduced firstly, then the research progress of carbon nanotubes by diffusion and premixed flame, including co-flow diffusion flame, inverse diffusion flame, counter diffusion flame, single-face wall stagnation flame and double-face wall stagnation flame were summarized, and the vapor–liquid–solid, tip and base, hollow and solid growth mechanisms of carbon nanotubes were briefly described. The synthesis of carbon nanotubes based on a methane/air coaxial jet diffusion flame by our group was also introduced. Through SEM, XRD and TEM characterization, it was proved that metallic nickel played a catalytic role. The catalyst particles were coated inside the carbon nanotubes, and the flame synthesized carbon nanotubes were based on a vapor–liquid–solid growth mechanism. The diameter of carbon nanotubes was distributed between 50 nm and 90 nm with an average diameter of 65 nm. Finally, the research direction of the preparation of carbon nanotubes by flame method was prospected.

Cite this article

Weiwei HAN Peng WANG Yan WEI Huaqiang CHU Yong SUN Wenjian CAO . Progress in flame synthesis of carbon nanotubes[J]. The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering, 2019 , 19(1) : 3 -13 . DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.218203

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