Method for forming aluminum oxide/carbon nanotubes by ultrasonic atomization and chemical vapor deposition

A method of synthesizing carbon nanotubes impregnated with aluminum oxide, the method comprising:

• (a) ultrasonically atomizing a liquid reactant solution in the presence of at least one gas flow comprising at least one carrier gas and at least one support gas, wherein the liquid reactant solution comprises at least one organic solvent, at least one metallocene, and aluminum isopropoxide, to form an atomized mixture comprising droplets of the liquid reactant solution and the at least one gas flow, and
• (b) heating the atomized mixture to a temperature of 200° C.-1400° C. in a chemical vapor deposition reactor, wherein the heating forms aluminum oxide and at least one carbon source compound, wherein the at least one metallocene catalyzes the formation of carbon nanotubes from the at least one carbon source compound and the aluminum oxide is incorporated into or on a surface of the carbon nanotubes to form the carbon nanotubes impregnated with the aluminum oxide,
• wherein 1-99 wt % of the aluminum oxide incorporated into or on the surface of the carbon nanotubes is in corundum phase.