Controlled synthesis and metal-filling of aligned carbon nanotubes
AssigneesMartin Moskovits, Jing Li, Thomas Haslett
InventorsMartin Moskovits, Jing Li, Thomas L. Haslett
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Abstract
The present invention provides a powerful new method for producing, uniform sized and uniformly aligned nanotubes through catalytic pyrolysis of a hydrocarbon within the dense, uniform and parallel pores of alumina nano-templates. The catalyst, Co, Fe, Ni or another suitable substance is deposited electrochemically into the bottom of the channel of the alumina template. The nanotubes with any desired diameter in the range 5-500 nm and lengths up to .about.100 .mu.m, are generated by the pyrolysis of a suitable hydrocarbon inside the pores of the alumina template with at least one end open at the alumina/air interface. The nanotubes may be filled by metals using for example electroless deposition.
Claims23
A process for synthesis of carbon nanotubes, comprising:
- anodizing an aluminum substrate in an effective bath to produce an alumina template with a plurality of pores each having a pore diameter;
- depositing an effective catalyst into the pores;
- and
- exposing said alumina template with the catalyst containing pores to an effective hydrocarbon gas at an effective temperature to grow carbon nanotubes in said pores, each carbon nanotube having an outer diameter not greater than the pore diameter in the template in which said carbon nanotube is produced.
A process for producing metal containing carbon nanotubes, comprising:
- anodizing an aluminum substrate in an effective bath to produce an alumina template with a plurality of pores each having a pore diameter;
- depositing an effective catalyst into the bottom of the pores;
- exposing said alumina template with the catalyst containing pores to an effective hydrocarbon gas at an effective temperature to grow carbon nanotubes in said pores, each carbon nanotube having an outer diameter not greater than the pore diameter in the template in which said carbon nanotube is produced;
- and
- depositing a metal into said nanotubes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.