Influence of a Fe/activated carbon catalyst and reaction parameters on methane decomposition during the synthesis of carbon nanotubes

✍ Scribed by Vaiyazhipalayam Murugaiyan Sivakumar; Abdul Rahman Mohamed; Ahmad Zuhairi Abdullah; Siang-Piao Chai

• Book ID: 111491401
• Publisher: Versita
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 462 KB
• Volume: 64
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0366-6352
• DOI: 10.2478/s11696-010-0066-y

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

In our experimental work on carbon nanotubes synthesis, the influence of pre-treatment and reaction temperature conditions over Fe catalyst loaded on low-cost activated carbon (AC) in the catalytic chemical vapor deposition of methane was studied. Catalyst with the metal concentration of 5 mass % calcined at 350°C and reduced at 450°C was effective in CH4 decomposition giving 98 % conversions. TEM images showed that thin multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) with the average internal diameter of ∼ 8 nm and the wall thickness of ∼ 2.5 nm were obtained over unreduced Fe/AC catalyst at the reaction temperature of 850°C. On the other hand, broader filamentous nanostructures with the diameter of ∼ 22 nm and the wall thickness of ∼ 3.72 nm were observed over reduced catalyst.