The synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by an one-stage and a two-stage floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FC-CVD) method was investigated in this work. Silicon dioxide (SiO2) microspheres were used as the carriers for the growth of CNTs under atmospheric pressure. Examinations through the scanning electron microscopy revealed the high density growth of vertically-aligned bent CNTs, whereas the transmission electron microscopy confirmed the multi-walled structure of the CNT.  The Raman spectrometry analysis showed that the characteristic spectral peaks that also confirmed that CNTs were successfully produced on the surface of SiO2 particles. These CNT-embedded microparticles can be potentially used as a novel solid-phase extraction component, among other environmental and analytical applications. Works are being performed to study the adsorption characteristics of the families of chlorophenol and chloronapthalene, two compounds that are also environmentally important as they are common precursors to the formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). These compounds contain single or double rings structure, with different number and location of chlorine atom adhered to the ring structure. Given that the sp2 hybridization state of CNTs, the p bonds between the graphitic surface of CNTs and the aromatics ring structure of the target compounds can be selectively adsorbed, and is thus interesting to study the role of chlorine atom in their adsorption characteristics.

Synthesis of microparticles embedded with carbon nanotubes via floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition and their environmental application

248th National Meeting (2014)

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