Magnetron Sputtering Deposition of Additional Ni Thin Films on the Fe/Al Multi-layered Catalyst Film for the Growth Control of Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

The effects of the Ni thickness in the newly developed Ni/Fe/Al multi-layered catalyst films on the growth structure of the Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) by catalytic thermal CVD were investigated. The density, length and diameter of the MWNT forests were successfully controlled by the Ni thickness in Ni/Fe/Al multi-layered catalyst films. The AFM surface morphology of the Ni/Fe/Al multi-layered catalyst films revealed that the additional Ni thin films on the Fe/Al multi-layered films prevented the agglomerations of Fe catalyst resulting in the growth of the high-density, long-length, and uniform MWNT forest.