Issue 10, 2010
From the journal:

Nanoscale

Converting carbon nanofibers to carbon nanoneedles: catalyst splitting and reverse motion

Jia Yun,a   Rui Wang,b   M. H. Hong,b   J. T. L. Thong,ab   Y. L. Foo,c   C. V. Thompsonad  and  W. K. Choi*ab  

* Corresponding authors

a Advanced Materials for Micro- and Nano-Systems Programme, Singapore–MIT Alliance, Singapore 117576, Singapore
E-mail: elechoi@nus.edu.sg
Fax: +65-6779-1103
Tel: +65-6516-6473

b Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore

c Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency of Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 117602, Singapore

d Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts 02139, USA

Abstract

Carbon nanoneedles (CNNs) were grown using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process in which the source gas (C2H2) was turned off 10 min before the NH3 flow and plasma were turned off. It is demonstrated that tubular carbon nanofibers (CNFs) grow while the source gas is on. However, once the source gas is turned off, the Ni catalyst at the top of each CNF splits to form a small catalyst that remains at the top of the tube and a larger catalyst that travels down the interior of the tube. We postulate that the motion of the bottom (larger) catalyst is driven by etching of the graphitic walls and ‘cups’ inside the CNF. This process, combined with slowing growth of the CNFs and etching of the material above the bottom catalyst, converts the carbon nanofibers to the final nanoneedle shape.

Graphical abstract: Converting carbon nanofibers to carbon nanoneedles: catalyst splitting and reverse motion

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/C0NR00265H
Article type
Paper
Submitted
19 Apr 2010
Accepted
08 Jun 2010
First published
10 Aug 2010

Nanoscale, 2010,2, 2180-2185

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Converting carbon nanofibers to carbon nanoneedles: catalyst splitting and reverse motion

J. Yun, R. Wang, M. H. Hong, J. T. L. Thong, Y. L. Foo, C. V. Thompson and W. K. Choi, Nanoscale, 2010, 2, 2180 DOI: 10.1039/C0NR00265H

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