Synthesis of carbon nanotubes on FexOy doped Al2O3-ZrO2 nanopowder

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were synthesized on liquid flame sprayed (LFS) powder substrate of iron oxide doped Al2O3-ZrO2. Iron oxide doped Al2O3-ZrO2 nanopowder was produced by injecting the liquid precursor of aluminium-isopropoxide, zirconium-n-propoxide, ferrocene and p-xylene into a high temperature (similar to 3000 K) flame. The precursor solution was atomized by high-velocity H-2 flow and injected into the flame where nanopartides were formed. The collected sample was used as a substrate material for the synthesis of CNTs. The CNTs were formed on the surfaces of the substrate powder by catalyzed decomposition of CH4. The particle morphology, size, phase composition and the nature of CNTs were determined by TEM, FE-SEM, XRD, XPS, Mossbauer and Raman spectroscopy. The collected powder consists of micron-sized agglomerates with nanosized primary particles. Tetragonal zirconia was detected while alumina was amorphous. In the carbonized sample multiwalled CNTs were obtained. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved