Novel tubular graphene synthesized via chemical vapor deposition process

Abstract

In this work, we prepared a novel nanoscale tubular graphene (TG) by depositing it on the surface of nickel nanowires (Ni-NWs). This method allowed us to synthetize Ni-NWs by a chemical reduction process carried out under water-bath heat and magnetic field. The TG was subsequently deposited on the as-prepared Ni-NWs through a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process under atmospheric pressure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy revealed the presence of Ni-NWs and TG/Ni-NW composites containing a few layers of graphene. The diameters of the Ni-NWs and TG/Ni-NW composites were ca. 300–500 and 500–1000 nm, respectively. The novel tubular structure of graphene provided this material with large specific surface area and excellent electrical conductivity, making it an ideal for sensor applications.