Growth of nanocarbons by catalysis and their applications

Abstract

Nanocarbons, such as carbon nanotubes and graphene, have had a remarkable history and impact on current applications. We briefly review the genesis and development of nanocarbons over the last 50 years, referencing key articles, including the role of catalysts in their formation. This issue focuses on the formation mechanisms and controlled growth of carbon nanotubes and graphene on substrates through catalytic processes. The five contributions in this issue review the mechanisms and theory of catalytic growth of nanocarbons (carbon nanotube forests, superaligned arrays, single-wall carbon nanotubes), the growth of large-quantity, high-quality graphene on metal substrates, and the unique and excellent properties for current and potential commercial applications.