Carbon nanotube growth at 420°C using nickel/carbon composite thin films as catalyst supports

Achour, Amine; Mel, Abdel Aziz El; Bouts, N.; Gautron, Éric; Grigore, E.; Angleraud, B.; Brizoual, L. Le; Tessier, Pierre‐Yves; Djouadi, M. A.

doi:10.1016/j.diamond.2013.02.006

Cited by 24 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…In a wider context, our study also contributes to the elucidation of the recently debated role of Ni 3 C as a possible intermediate bulk catalyst phase in Ni-catalyzed graphene − and carbon nanotube (CNT) − growth. Taking our Ni 3 C/a-C nanocomposites as a model system for graphitization from Ni 3 C, our in situ derived findings suggest that fcc Ni with interstitial carbon dissolved (Ni(-C)), rather than bulk Ni 3 C, is the active catalyst phase during graphitic nanostructure growth under typical chemical vapor deposition (CVD) conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

In Situ Observations of Phase Transitions in Metastable Nickel (Carbide)/Carbon Nanocomposites

Bayer¹,

Bosworth²,

Michaelis³

et al. 2016

J. Phys. Chem. C

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Nanocomposite thin films comprised of metastable metal carbides in a carbon matrix have a wide variety of applications ranging from hard coatings to magnetics and energy storage and conversion. While their deposition using nonequilibrium techniques is established, the understanding of the dynamic evolution of such metastable nanocomposites under thermal equilibrium conditions at elevated temperatures during processing and during device operation remains limited. Here, we investigate sputter-deposited nanocomposites of metastable nickel carbide (Ni3C) nanocrystals in an amorphous carbon (a-C) matrix during thermal postdeposition processing via complementary in situ X-ray diffractometry, in situ Raman spectroscopy, and in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. At low annealing temperatures (300 °C) we observe isothermal Ni3C decomposition into face-centered-cubic Ni and amorphous carbon, however, without changes to the initial finely structured nanocomposite morphology. Only for higher temperatures (400–800 °C) Ni-catalyzed isothermal graphitization of the amorphous carbon matrix sets in, which we link to bulk-diffusion-mediated phase separation of the nanocomposite into coarser Ni and graphite grains. Upon natural cooling, only minimal precipitation of additional carbon from the Ni is observed, showing that even for highly carbon saturated systems precipitation upon cooling can be kinetically quenched. Our findings demonstrate that phase transformations of the filler and morphology modifications of the nanocomposite can be decoupled, which is advantageous from a manufacturing perspective. Our in situ study also identifies the high carbon content of the Ni filler crystallites at all stages of processing as the key hallmark feature of such metal–carbon nanocomposites that governs their entire thermal evolution. In a wider context, we also discuss our findings with regard to the much debated potential role of metastable Ni3C as a catalyst phase in graphene and carbon nanotube growth.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

In Situ Observations of Phase Transitions in Metastable Nickel (Carbide)/Carbon Nanocomposites

Bayer¹,

Bosworth²,

Michaelis³

et al. 2016

J. Phys. Chem. C

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“…On the other hand, metallurgical studies demonstrated the formation of metastable nickel carbide, due to the high carbon solubility of Ni, contributes to the carbon precipitation from Ni 28 . Indeed, metastable nickel carbide has been suggested as an intermediate catalyst phase in graphene growth 9 10 11 29 and also in carbon nanotube synthesis 30 . Experimental evidence for the transformation between Ni 3 C and graphene was provided by Cao et al 31 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Crystalline Ni3C as both carbon source and catalyst for graphene nucleation: a QM/MD study

Jiao

Guan

et al. 2015

Sci Rep

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Graphene nucleation from crystalline Ni3C has been investigated using quantum chemical molecular dynamics (QM/MD) simulations based on the self-consistent-charge density-functional tight-binding (SCC-DFTB) method. It was observed that the lattice of Ni3C was quickly relaxed upon thermal annealing at high temperature, resulting in an amorphous Ni3C catalyst structure. With the aid of the mobile nickel atoms, inner layer carbon atoms precipitated rapidly out of the surface and then formed polyyne chains and Y-junctions. The frequent sinusoidal-like vibration of the branched carbon configurations led to the formation of nascent graphene precursors. In light of the rapid decomposition of the crystalline Ni3C, it is proposed that the crystalline Ni3C is unlikely to be a reaction intermediate in the CVD-growth of graphene at high temperatures. However, results present here indicate that Ni3C films can be employed as precursors in the synthesis of graphene with exciting possibility.

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“…Other peaks were π − π * (290.5 eV), C‐O (286 eV), C = O (288.0 eV), and C–Ni (283.3 eV) 34 . C‐Ni peak appeared when carbon was diffused to the surface during cooling at room temperature after dissolved in the bulk of Ni nanoparticles 35 …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…34 C-Ni peak appeared when carbon was diffused to the surface during cooling at room temperature after dissolved in the bulk of Ni nanoparticles. 35 The SEM images of MWCNT formed by CVD using CO as a carbon precursor were shown in Figure 4A,B. CNT grew successfully on the MgO surface and had a structure of wavy morphology.…”

Section: Xrd Patterns Of Ni/mgo Catalyst and Carbon Depositedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi‐wall carbon nanotubes by catalytic decomposition of carbon monoxide on Ni/MgO

Lee

Kim

Cho

et al. 2020

Int J Applied Ceramic Tech

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The redox behavior of the catalyst and the catalytic decomposition of carbon monoxide (CO) were investigated in the synthesis process of multi‐wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) using Ni/MgO catalyst. The surface morphology of the heated Ni layer was observed by TEM to confirm the formation of NiO particles (50 nm or less) and NiO (222). The chemical reaction behavior of the catalyst in CO the atmosphere was displayed via TG‐DSC analysis, and the reduction of NiO was revealed due to the mass decrease of 2.71 wt% and the exothermic peak at around 400°C. The deposition of carbon was identified with an increase in mass and the exothermic peak near 600°C. Ni (111) and carbon (002) facets was taken place in a diffraction pattern of carbon deposited catalyst, indicating the reduction in NiO and the graphitic carbon deposition. The crystallinity of the graphitic carbon was analyzed as the ratios of 0.998 for ID/IG and 0.26 for sp3/sp2 in Raman and photoelectron spectra. The encapsulated Ni in MWCNT was observed through TEM‐EDS, verifying the activation of the catalyst by CO.

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Carbon nanotube growth at 420°C using nickel/carbon composite thin films as catalyst supports

Cited by 24 publications

References 55 publications

In Situ Observations of Phase Transitions in Metastable Nickel (Carbide)/Carbon Nanocomposites

In Situ Observations of Phase Transitions in Metastable Nickel (Carbide)/Carbon Nanocomposites

Crystalline Ni3C as both carbon source and catalyst for graphene nucleation: a QM/MD study

Multi‐wall carbon nanotubes by catalytic decomposition of carbon monoxide on Ni/MgO

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