Perspectives of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube Production in the Arc Discharge Process

Abstract

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) promise wide applications in many technical fields. As a result purified SWNT material is sold now on the West market at more than $1000 per 1 gram. Thus developing an effective technology for SWNTs production rises to a very important scientific problem. The perspectives of three existing methods providing raw material in the technology of SWNT production have been analyzed. They are i) pulsed laser evaporation of graphite/metal composites, ii) evaporation of graphite electrodes with metal content in the arc discharge process, and iii) catalytic decomposition of the mixture of CO and metal carbonyl catalyst precursor. The observed dynamics of SWNT market points to replacing the laser method of SWNTs production by the arc process. The conclusion has been made that the technology based on the arc process will be the major one for the fabrication of purified SWNTs at least for the next five years. A reliable estimation of a low price limit of SWNTs was derived from a comparison of two technologies based on the arc discharge process: the first one is the production of SWNTs and the second one is the production of a fullerene mixture С 60 + С 70 . The main conclusion was made that the price of purified SWNTs should always be more by 2-3 times the price of fullerene mixture. The parameters of a lab-scale technology for the production of purified SWNTs are listed. A large-scale application of the developed technology is expected to reduce the price of purified SWNTs by approximately ten times. The methods now employed for the characterization of products containing SWNTs are briefly observed. It is concluded that electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, absorption and Raman spectroscopy, measurement of the specific surface aria, optical microscopy -each in separation is not enough for extensive characterization of a sample containing SWNTs, and all these methods should be used together.

Study of one-dimensional crystal@single wall carbon nanotube nanocomposites using atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy

“…2), where the spot intensity is indicated on vertical axis. It was found that the images and periodicities observed in a 1D nanocrystal do not correspond to those determined earlier in the works [2,[8][9][10][11][12][13] for 1D CuI@SWCNT nanocomposites. In order to restore the crystalline structure and build an elementary cell of an 1D nanocrystal, we have analyzed a number of images like those shown in Fig.…”

“…5. As was mentioned above, no such crystalline structure of the nanocomposite was found in previous studies [2,[8][9][10][11][12][13]. In the process of studying the nanocomposites, CuI nanocrystals were found whose crystalline structure coincides with that determined in other works and their images obtained by STEM in bright field and HAADF modes are shown in Figs.…”

“…We have used SWCNTs obtained by an electric arc which are 1.4 Å in diameter [11]. The nanotubes were filled with a melt of CuI at a temperature, which was 60°C higher than the temperature of salt melting.…”

Nylon-6 and single-walled carbon nanotubes polyamide composites

“…Synthesis and characterization of the SWCNTs supplied by the company are described in detail. [41][42][43] Synthesis of PIs PI-NH 2 -I and PI-NH 2 -II (Co)PIs PI-NH 2 -I and PI-NH 2 -II were synthesized by onestep high-temperature polycondensation of respective tetracarboxylic acid dianhydrides and diamines in m-cresol at 180 C in accordance with previously reported procedure. 44 Both PI-NH 2 -I and PI-NH 2 -II were prepared at diamines and tetracarboxylic acid dianhydrides molar ratio equal to 1.0:0.9.…”

Polycaproamide Modified by Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes as Protective Coating for Optical Fiber

“…The SWCNTs were obtained by the electric arc method using the Ni/Y catalyst and provided by Carbonchg company (http://www.carbonchg.ru). Synthesis and characterization of the SWCNTs supplied by the company are described in detail …”