Aluminum iron oxide (aluminum ferrite) nanocrystals are excellent catalysts for high-quality carbon nanotube (CNT) growth. Uniform nanocrystalline aluminum ferrites from 4.0 to 22.2 nm were synthesized by the decomposition of aluminum and iron precursors at a high temperature. Aluminum ferrites had a varied composition of aluminum (18%-50%); the concentration of the aluminum precursor was directly proportional to the percent of aluminum in the ferrite nanocrystal. CNT carpet growth rates using these prepared aluminum ferrite and iron oxide nanocrystals were 10 times faster for the ferrites than for pure iron oxides. In addition, CNTs grown by aluminum ferrites were uniformly of higher quality (IG/ID = 11.4) than comparable materials formed from pure iron oxides (IG/ID = 9.8). These data illustrate that aluminum in an iron oxide nanocrystal not only prevents catalyst poisoning, but slows the decomposition of the carbon source (acetylene) in the CNT growth process, leading to less amorphous carbon.

Synthesis of diameter and composition-controlled aluminum iron oxide nanocrystals for high quality carbon nanotubes

244th National Meeting (2012)

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