Catalyst Composition, Morphology and Reaction Pathway in the Growth of “Super-Long” Carbon Nanotubes

Selective Synthesis of 3D Aligned VO2 and V2O5 Carbon Nanotube Hybrid Materials by Chemical Vapor Deposition

3D carbon nanotube hybrid materials containing VO2 and V2O5 evenly distributed onto vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) is reported. Adjustable loading of particles in controllable sizes and shapes onto the VACNTs was developed via a stepwise chemical vapour deposition (CVD) approach. Solid VO(acac)2 is chosen as vanadium source. CO2 acts as reactive gas for the pre-functionalisation of the VACNTs. The process temperature was identified as key parameter to control the deposited vanadium oxide phase. A temperature of 550 °C results in monoclinic VO2, while 600 °C results in the deposition of V2O5 onto the VACNT support. The morphology and the amount of deposited material was found to be dependent on the reactor dimensions and the degree of functionalisation of the carbon support. An increase of the D/G ratio of the VACNT from 0.75 to 1.08 caused by a CO2 treatment step within the process led to an increase of the particle coverage from a scarce coverage without prior CO2 treatment to a dense coverage of the VACNT support after 15 min of CO2 exposure time. Size and crystallinity of the as deposited particles can be further adjusted by a controlled heat treatment after VO(acac)2 precursor deposition.

Toward a Metal Anode-Free Zinc-Air Battery for Next-Generation Energy Storage

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-air batteries (ZABs) promise high energy density and safety. However, the use of conventional zinc anodes affects the energy output from the battery, so that the theoretical energy density is not achievable under operation conditions. A large portion of the zinc is shielded by anode passivation during the discharge process and remains electrochemically unused, making the operation of rechargeable ZABs inefficient up to date. In a metal anode-free ZAB, there is no unnecessary excess zinc if the zinc reservoir can be precisely adjusted by electrodeposition of zinc from the electrolyte. In this respect, an anode-free battery uses the electrolyte offering a dual-mode functionality not only providing ionic conductivity but also being the source of zinc. In addition, it is shown that a defined porous anode architecture is crucial for high rechargeability in this new type of ZAB. 3D-spatially arranged carbon nanotubes as geometrically defined host structures allow a homogeneous zinc deposition from the electrolyte. Together with carbon nanohorns as an active 2e- catalyst on the cathode side, the rechargeability of this new concept reaches up to 92%.

Gas phase synthesis and adsorption properties of a 3D ZIF-8 CNT composite

The metal organic framework structure ZIF-8 has been grown directly on vertically aligned carbon nano tubes (VACNT) by a solid vapour transformation of a ZnO@VACNT composite with gaseous 2-methylimidazole. The ZnO@VACNT composite was synthesised by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using diethylzinc and water as precursors resulting in a homogeneous distribution of crystalline ZnO particles with an average size of 13 nm within the 3D VACNT host structure. The ZnO@VACNT composite was transformed to ZIF-8 by reaction with 2-methyl-imidazole (Hmim) while maintaining the 3D VACNT structure employing a solid vapour transformation reaction. Reaction time and temperature were identified as key parameters to control the generated surface area and the degree of conversion of the nanoscaled ZnO particles. 80 °C and 72 h were found to be sufficient for a complete conversion while longer reaction times result in even higher surface areas of the formed ZIF-8@VACNT composite. Surface areas of up to 1569 m² g^-1 could be achieved. Temperatures below 80 °C led to an incomplete conversion even under longer reaction times of up to 6 weeks. Finally, the CO₂ adsorption properties of the ZIF-8@VACNT composite were evaluated. A composite with a 27 w% content of CNTs and a surface area of 1277 m² g^-1 shows an adsorption of 6.05 mmol g^-1 CO₂ at 30 bar. From the comparison with the pristine materials ZIF-8 and VACNT alone the observed overall CO₂ adsorption behaviour of the composite is a combination of the behaviour of the individual components, ZIF-8 and VACNTs. Namely the typical steep rise of the ZIF-8 in the low-pressure regime with a nearly linear steady progression in the medium pressure size regime, the latter typical for VACNTs, proves that the combination of both components leads to enhanced adsorption properties of the ZIF-8@VACNT composite compared to the sole components ZIF-8 and VACNTs.

Upcycling Waste Plastics into Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Composites via NiCo2O4 Catalytic Pyrolysis

In this work, multi-walled carbon nanotube composites (MWCNCs) were produced by catalytic pyrolysis of post-consumer plastics with aluminium oxide-supported nickel, cobalt, and their bimetallic (Ni/α–Al2O3, Co/α–Al2O3, and NiCo/α–Al2O3) oxide-based catalysts. The influence of catalyst composition and catalytic reaction temperature on the carbon yield and structure of CNCs were investigated. Different temperatures (800, 900, 950, and 1000 °C) and catalyst compositions (Ni, Co, and Ni/Co) were explored to maximize the yield of carbon deposited on the catalyst. The obtained results showed that at the same catalytic temperature (900 °C), a Ni/Co bimetallic catalyst exhibited higher carbon yield than the individual monometallic catalysts due to a better cracking capability on carbon-hydrogen bonds. With the increase of temperature, the carbon yield of the Ni/Co bimetallic catalyst increased first and then decreased. At a temperature of 950 °C, the Ni/Co bimetallic catalyst achieved its largest carbon yield, which can reach 255 mg g−1plastic. The growth of CNCs followed a “particle-wire-tube” mechanism for all studied catalysts. This work finds the potential application of complex oxide composite material catalysts for the generation of CNCs in catalytic pyrolysis of wasted plastic.

SO2 gas adsorption on carbon nanomaterials: a comparative study

Owing to their high stability against corrosive gases, carbon-based adsorbents are preferentially used for the adsorptive removal of SO₂. In the present study, SO₂ adsorption on different carbon nanomaterials namely carbon nanohorns (CNHs), multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) are investigated and compared against the adsorption characteristics of activated carbon and graphene oxide (GO). A comprehensive overview of the adsorption behavior of this family of carbon adsorbents is given for the first time. The relative influence of surface area and functional groups on the SO₂ adsorption characteristics is discussed. The isosteric heat of adsorption values are calculated to quantify the nature of the interaction between the SO₂ molecule and the adsorbent. Most importantly, while chemisorption is found to dominate the adsorption behavior in activated carbon, SO₂ adsorption on carbon nanomaterials occurs by a physisorption mechanism.

Vertically aligned double wall carbon nanotube arrays adsorbent for pure and mixture adsorption of H2S, ethylbenzene and carbon monoxide, grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation

In this study, pure and ternary adsorption of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), ethylbenzene (EB), and carbon monoxide (CO) on different arrays of zigzag double wall carbon nanotube was investigated using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations. The internal diameters of nanotube were fixed at 2r = 50.17 Å while nanotube wall distances were different values from d = 0 Å to d = 150 Å. Pure simulation results indicated that adsorption quantity of H₂S and EB in low pressure ranges of P = 1.9 bar to P = 3.1 bar was at least 100% more than CO adsorption quantities. At high pressure ranges of P = 23.1 bar to P = 38.2 bar H₂S adsorption was greater than EB and CO by about 200 molecules per unit cell (UC) at low nanotube distances. This was related to smaller kinetic diameter and greater dipole moment of H₂S compared to EB and CO. At higher nanotube distance the effect of size however disappears and all three gases approach to adsorption quantity of about 800 molecules/UC. Graphical representation of adsorption areas showed that H₂S and CO form multilayer adsorption around nanotube inner and outer walls while EB fill the whole space uniformly without any congestion around the walls. Ternary adsorption results EB/CO and H₂S/CO selectivity are greater than EB/H₂S selectivity. In addition, at smaller nanotube distances H₂S/CO selectivity is generally higher than EB/CO selectivity, which at higher nanotube distance the order becomes revers suggesting that size dependent effects on adsorption vanishes. Isosteric heat of adsorption shows that the order of EB > H₂S > CO suggesting that ethylbenzene interaction with nanotube arrays was strongest. Although H₂S has a greater dipole moment and smaller molecular dimension, EB adsorption at higher nanotube distance is greater than H₂S by at least 50% probably because EB is less volatile.

Gas adsorption capacity in an all carbon nanomaterial composed of carbon nanohorns and vertically aligned carbon nanotubes

Whereas vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) typically show a promising adsorption behavior at high pressures, carbon nanohorns (CNHs) exhibit superior gas adsorption properties in the low pressure regime due to their inherent microporosity. These adsorption characteristics are further enhanced when both materials are opened at their tips. The so prepared composite material allows one to investigate the effect of physical entrapment of CO₂ molecules within the specific adsorption sites of VACNTs composed of opened double walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and in specific adsorption sites created by spherically aggregated opened single walled carbon nanohorns. Combining 50 wt% of tip opened CNTs with tip opened CNHs increases the CO₂ adsorption capacity of this material by ∼24% at 30 bar and 298 K compared to opened CNHs alone.

Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes as Platform for Biomimetically Inspired Mechanical Sensing, Bioactive Surfaces, and Electrical Cell Interfacing

Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) are one dimensional carbon objects anchored atop of a solid substrate. They are geometrically fixed in contrast to their counterparts, randomly oriented carbon nanotubes (CNTs). In this progress report, the breadth in which these one dimensional, mechanically flexible, though robust and electrical conducting carbon nanostructures can be employed as functional material is shown and our research is put in perspective to work in the last five to ten years. The connection between the different areas touched in this report is the biomimetic-materials approach, which rely on the hairy morphology of VACNTs. These properties in connection with their electrical conductivity offer possibilities towards new functional features and applications of VACNTs. To appreciate the possibilities of biomimetic research with VACNTs, first their material characteristics are given to make the reader familiar with specific features of their synthesis, the peculiarities in arranging and controlling the morphology of CNTs in a vertical alignment as well as a current understanding of these properties on a microscopic basis. In doing so, similarities as well as differences, which offer new possibilities for biomimetic studies of VACNTS with respect to multiwalled randomly oriented CNTs, will become clear.

ZnS/ZnO@CNT and ZnS@CNT nanocomposites by gas phase conversion of ZnO@CNT. A systematic study of their photocatalytic properties

ZnS nanoparticles have been synthesized on vertically aligned carbon nanotubes by gas-phase conversion of ZnO nanoparticles which have been tethered on vertically aligned carbon nanotubes using atomic layer deposition (ALD).

Vertically aligned multi walled carbon nanotubes prevent biofilm formation of medically relevant bacteria

A significant part of human infections is frequently associated with the establishment of biofilms by (opportunistic) pathogens. Due to the increasing number of untreatable biofilms, there is a rising need to develop novel and effective strategies to prevent biofilm formation on surfaces in medical as well as in technical areas. Bacterial initial attachment and adhesion to surfaces followed by biofilm formation is highly influenced by the physical properties of the surfaces. Consequently, changing these properties or applying different nanostructures is an attractive approach to prevent biofilm formation. Here we report on the effect(s) of surface grown and anchored vertically aligned multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), which have been made wettable by immersion through a graded ethanol series, on biofilm formation of Klebsiella oxytoca, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. We evaluated the biofilm formation under continuous flow conditions by confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and demonstrated significant inhibition of biofilm formation of all the different pathogens by MWCNT of different lengths. Furthermore, the anti-adhesive effects of the MWCNT increased with their overall length. The application potential of our findings on surface grown and anchored vertically aligned MWCNT may represent a suitable contact mechanics based approach to prevent biofilm formation on medical devices or technical sensors operating in fluid environments.

Towards a fine-tuning of surface chemistry in aligned carbon nanotubes induced by nitrogen plasma discharge post-treatment: a combined microscopic and spectroscopic study

The selective control of surface chemistry in individual nanotubes inside the VACNT arrays using a dry process without damaging their structure is a key challenge in developing active materials for many electronic, photonic and catalytic applications.

Double-walled carbon nanotube array for CO2 and SO2 adsorption

Grand-canonical Monte Carlo simulations and adsorption experiments are combined to find the optimized carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays for gas adsorption at low pressures and 303 K. Bundles of 3D aligned double-walled carbon nanotube (DWCNT) with inner diameter of 8 nm and different intertube distances were made experimentally. The experimental results show that decreasing intertube distance leads to a significant enhancement in carbon-dioxide (CO2) adsorption capacity at 1 bar. The molecular simulation study on CO2 adsorption onto bundles of 3D aligned DWCNT with inner diameters of 1, 3, and 8 nm and intertube distance of 0-15 nm shows that the intertube distance plays a more important role than the CNT diameter. The simulation results show that decreasing the intertube distance up to 1 nm increases the excess adsorption generally in all the studied systems at pressures 0 < p < 14 bars (the increase can be up to ∼40% depending on the system and pressure). This is in agreement with the experimental result. Further reduction in intertube distance leads to a decrease in the excess adsorption in the pressure range 9 < p < 14 bars. However, at lower pressure, 0 < p < 9 bars, intertube distance of 0.5 nm is found to have the highest excess adsorption. This result is indifferent to tube diameter. Furthermore, molecular simulations are conducted to obtain the optimal parameters, for the DWCNT bundle, for SO2 adsorption, which are similar to those observed for CO2 in the pressure range 0 < p < 3 bars.

Growth and structural discrimination of cortical neurons on randomly oriented and vertically aligned dense carbon nanotube networks

The growth of cortical neurons on three dimensional structures of spatially defined (structured) randomly oriented, as well as on vertically aligned, carbon nanotubes (CNT) is studied. Cortical neurons are attracted towards both types of CNT nano-architectures. For both, neurons form clusters in close vicinity to the CNT structures whereupon the randomly oriented CNTs are more closely colonised than the CNT pillars. Neurons develop communication paths via neurites on both nanoarchitectures. These neuron cells attach preferentially on the CNT sidewalls of the vertically aligned CNT architecture instead than onto the tips of the individual CNT pillars.

Correlating electron tomography and plasmon spectroscopy of single noble metal core-shell nanoparticles

The 3D structure reconstruction of gold core-silver shell nanoparticles by electron tomography is combined with optical dark-field spectroscopy. Electron tomography allows segmentation of the particles into core and shell subvolumes and facilitates avoiding Bragg diffraction artifacts inherent in 2D images. This advantage proves essential for accurate correlation of plasmon spectra and structure. We find that for the nanoparticles of near-spherical shape studied here the plasmon resonances depend on the relative size of the core and shell, rather than on their exact shapes and concentricity. A remarkable dependence of the spectral shape on the permittivity of the surrounding medium is also demonstrated, suggesting that core-shell nanoparticles can be used as ratiometric sensors with a very high dynamic range.

Generation and agglomeration behaviour of size-selected sub-nm iron clusters as catalysts for the growth of carbon nanotubes

Mass-selected, ligand-free Fe(N) clusters with N = 10-30 atoms (cluster diameter: 0.6-0.9 nm) were implanted into [Al@SiO(x)] surfaces at a low surface coverage corresponding to a few thousandths up to a few hundredths of a monolayer in order to avoid initial cluster agglomeration. These studies are aimed towards gaining an insight into the lower limit of the size regime of carbon nanotube (CNT) growth by employing size-selected sub-nm iron clusters as catalyst or precatalyst precursors for CNT growth. Agglomeration of sub-nm iron clusters to iron nanoparticles with a median size range between three and six nanometres and the CNT formation hence can be observed at CVD growth temperatures of 750 °C. Below 600 °C, no CNT growth is observed.

Gas phase synthesis and field emission properties of 3D aligned double walled carbon nanotube/anatase hybrid architectures

A 3D hybrid architecture composed of macroscopic, vertically aligned CNT blocks which are formed via a metal catalyzed CVD process followed by deposition of TiO(2) on the CNT side walls in nanocrystalline or amorphous form is presented. The morphology of the deposited TiO(2) can be tailored by the deposition method employed. Depositing TiO(2) from the gas phase by employing the organometallic precursor Ti[OCH(CH(3))(2)](4) leads to formation of nanocrystalline anatase or rutile particles with a dense coverage on the surface and within the 3D CNT scaffold. Phase pure TiO(2) (anatase) is formed between 500 and 700 °C, while higher temperatures resulted in rutile modification of TiO(2). Below 500 °C, TiO(2) forms an amorphous oxide layer. At higher temperatures such initially formed TiO(2) layers segregate into particles which tend to crystallize. In contrast, when generating TiO(2) by oxidation of Ti metal which is deposited by vaporization onto the 3D CNT block array, and subsequently oxidized in air or controlled O(2) atmosphere this leads to a porous layer with a particular nanostructure on top of the CNT blocks. First studies of the fabrication and field emission of the new 3D CNT/TiO(2) hybrid cathodes display good and stable FE characteristics with onset fields for current density of 1 μA cm(-2) of 1.7 to 1.9 V μm(-1), while the average field enhancement factor is in the range between 2000 and 2500 depending on the O(2) base pressure during the measurements.

Studies towards synthesis, evolution and alignment characteristics of dense, millimeter long multiwalled carbon nanotube arrays

We report the synthesis of aligned arrays of millimeter long carbon nanotubes (CNTs), from benzene and ferrocene as the molecular precursor and catalyst respectively, by a one-step chemical vapor deposition technique. The length of the grown CNTs depends on the reaction temperature and increases from ~85 µm to ~1.4 mm when the synthesis temperature is raised from 650 to 1100 °C, while the tube diameter is almost independent of the preparation temperature and is ~80 nm. The parallel arrangement of the CNTs, as well as their tube diameter can be verified spectroscopically by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies. Based on electron diffraction scattering (EDS) studies of the top and the base of the CNT films, a root growth process can be deduced.