CVD synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with integrated by-product recycling

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the development of a large laboratory setup for CVD synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), whose key feature is the targeted utilization of the resulting gaseous byproducts. Ferrocene was used as the catalyst precursor and acetonitrile served as the feedstock. The original design of the setup includes two consecutively connected reactors: the first carries out the CVD synthesis of MWCNTs, while the second is intended for utilizing the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) formed as byproducts during the process, using them as raw material for repeated thermal decomposition. The pyrolysis temperature for PAHs was set at around 1150 degrees C, which allows the conversion of harmful compounds into non-toxic carbon materials such as soot, coke and various carbon nanostructures.