Carbon Nanotube Synthesis: A Review

Discovered in 1991, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have reached the forefront of many industrial research projects. Carbon nanotubes are tubular carbon molecules with remarkable mechanical, chemical, thermal and electrical properties, which make them useful in various applications. This paper reviews three methods of synthesizing the nanomaterial, namely arc-discharge, laser-ablation and fixed bed/fluidized bed catalytic. These methods have generated a large interest in many industrial companies to date. At the moment, the most critical issue faced by industrial companies is determining the best synthesis method, which will give the most economical large-scale production of CNTs. Compared to the other two methods, the catalytic technique to synthesize CNTs is simple, inexpensive, energy-efficient and can produce large CNTs quantities of high yield and purity