MWCNT from Carbon Black: Effect of Current Variation and Arc Application Time

Abstract:

Carbon black can be used as a raw material to synthesize multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The present study focuses on synthesis of MWCNTs from carbon black using pulsed arc discharge method in Argon atmosphere. The morphological changes during conversion from carbon black to carbon nanotubes by varying arc current and arc application time is investigated. Scanning Electron Micrographs of the deposited carbon nanostructures suggest that MWCNTs are formed at 40A and for a minimal exposure time of 60sec.As we kept increasing arc current the granular structure of Carbon black transform to flakes structure and then to rigid rod like structure before getting finally converted to MWCNT.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 737)
• Pages: 347-353
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.737.347
• Online since: June 2017
• Authors: Neha Arora, Niti Nipun Sharma*
• Keywords: Carbon Black, Morphology, MWCNT, Pulsed Arc

References

[1] S. Iijima, Helical microtubules of graphitic carbon, Nature, 354(6348) (1991) 56-58.

DOI: 10.1038/354056a0

[2] Sami-Ullah, S., Waqar, S. M. H., Hussain, F., & Ali, A, Synthesis of Single and Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Improved Arc Discharge Method, Key Engineering Materials. 510(2012) 124-131. Trans Tech Publications.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/kem.510-511.124

[3] Arora, Neha, and N. N. Sharma, Arc discharge synthesis of carbon nanotubes: Comprehensive review, Diamond and Related Materials 50 (2014) 135-150.

DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2014.10.001

[4] E. I. Waldorff, A. M. Waas, P. P. Friedmann, M. Keidar, Characterization of carbon nanotubes produced by arc discharge: Effect of the background pressure, J. Appl. Phys. 95(5) (2004) 2749-2754.

DOI: 10.1063/1.1642737

[5] S. P. Doherty, R. P. H. Chang, Synthesis of multiwalled carbon nanotubes from carbon black, Appl. Phys. Lett. 81(13) (2002) 2466-2468.

DOI: 10.1063/1.1509470

[6] S. Kishinevsky, S. I. Nikitenko, D. M. Pickup, E. R. van-Eck, A. Gedanken, Catalytic transformation of carbon black to carbon nanotubes, Chem. Mater. 14(11) (2002) 4498-4501.

DOI: 10.1021/cm025598j

[7] D. B. Buchholz, S. P. Doherty, R. P. H. Chang, Mechanism for the growth of multiwalled carbon-nanotubes from carbon black, Carbon, 41(8) (2003) 1625-1634.

DOI: 10.1016/s0008-6223(03)00110-6

[8] H. Lange, M. Bystrzejewski, A. Huczko, Influence of carbon structure on carbon nanotube formation and carbon arc plasma, Diam. Relat. Mater. 15(4) (2006) 1113-1116.

DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2005.11.026

[9] Z. G. Chen, F. Li, W. C. Ren, H. Cong, C. Liu, G. Q. Lu, H. M. Cheng, Double-walled carbon nanotubes synthesized using carbon black as the dot carbon source, Nanotech. 17(13) (2006) 3100.

DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/17/13/003

[10] J. B. Donnet, H. Oulanti, T. Le Huu, Mechanism growth of multiwalled carbon nanotubes on carbon black, Diam. Relat. Mater. 17(7) (2008) 1506-1512.

DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2008.01.001

[11] A. Hekmat-Ardakan, Y. Alinejad, A. Shahverdi, G. Soucy, Experimental and thermochemical evaluation of induction thermal plasma grown single-walled carbon nanotube synthesized by commercial carbon blacks with different sulfur content, Thermochimica Acta. 565 (2013).

DOI: 10.1016/j.tca.2013.04.035

[12] V. Asokan, D. Velauthapillai, R. Løvlie, D. N. Madsen, Effect of substrate and catalyst on the transformation of carbon black into nanotubes, J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 24(9) (2013) 1-9.

DOI: 10.1007/s10854-013-1233-z

[13] V. Asokan, D. Madsen, D. Velauthapillai, V. Myrseth, P. Kosinski, Effect of Temperature on the Transformation of Carbon Black into Nanotubes, Advanced Materials Research. 875-877(2014) 1565-1571.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.875-877.1565

[14] Arora, Neha, and N. N. Sharma, Sustained arc temperature: better marker for phase transformation of carbon black to multiwalled carbon nanotubes in arc discharge method, Materials Research Express. 3(10) (2016) 105030.

DOI: 10.1088/2053-1591/3/10/105030

[15] T. Sugai, H. Omote, S. Bandow, N. Tanaka, H. Shinohara, Production of fullerenes and single-wall carbon nanotubes by high-temperature pulsed arc discharge, J. Chem. Phys. 112 (2000) 6000.

DOI: 10.1063/1.481172

[16] T. Sugai, H. Yoshida, T. Shimada, T. Okazaki, H. Shinohara, S. Bandow, New synthesis of high-quality double-walled carbon nanotubes by high-temperature pulsed arc discharge, Nano Lett. 3(6) (2003) 769-773.

DOI: 10.1021/nl034183+

[17] N. Parkansky, R. L. Boxman, B. Alterkop, I. Zontag, Y. Lereah, Z. Barkay, Single-pulse arc production of carbon nanotubes in ambient air, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 37(19) (2004) 2715.

DOI: 10.1088/0022-3727/37/19/015

[18] Y. Y. Tsai, J. S. Su, C. Y. Su, A novel method to produce carbon nanotubes using EDM process, Int. J. Mach. Tools Manuf. 48(15) (2008) 1653-1657.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2008.07.005

[19] K. K. Kia, F. Bonabi, Electric field induced needle-pulsed arc discharge carbon nanotube production apparatus: Circuitry and mechanical design, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83(12) (2012) 123907-123907.

DOI: 10.1063/1.4772575