Novel method for carbon nanotube growth using vapor-phase catalyst delivery

In this study, we demonstrated a novel method to grow carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by chloride-mediated chemical vapor deposition with hydride vapor-phase nucleated catalyst (HVPN). In the HVPN method, FeCl2 as a catalyst precursor was produced by an in situ chemical reaction between Fe powder and HCl gas. After the synthesis of FeCl2, CNTs were grown by supplying acetylene. We studied growth conditions for the catalyst formation process in HVPN method. High-quality CNT forests were grown by optimizing the FeCl2 synthesis conditions. This study has established the HVPN method as a novel, highly controllable way to grow CNT forests.