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Role of oxygen in the growth of carbon nanotubes on metal alloy fibers by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Young Kyun Moon ,
Chang Goo Jung ,
Seok Joo Park ,
Tae Gyu Kim  and
Soo H. Kim
Young Kyun Moon
Affiliation:
Department of Nanosystem and Nanoprocess Engineering, Pusan National University, Miryang-si, Gyeongnam 627-706, Republic of Korea
Chang Goo Jung
Affiliation:
Department of Nanosystem and Nanoprocess Engineering, Pusan National University, Miryang-si, Gyeongnam 627-706, Republic of Korea
Seok Joo Park
Affiliation:
Clean Energy System Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-343, Republic of Korea
Tae Gyu Kim*
Affiliation:
Department of Nanosystem and Nanoprocess Engineering, Pusan National University, Miryang-si, Gyeongnam 627-706, Republic of Korea
Soo H. Kim
Affiliation:
Department of Nanosystem and Nanoprocess Engineering, Pusan National University, Miryang-si, Gyeongnam 627-706, Republic of Korea
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

A method allowing for the stable growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the surface of a fibrous metal mesh substrate (SUS304) was developed with the assistance of the microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process. The controlled addition of up to ∼13% of O2 to the CH4 plasma reacting gas flow was found to promote the growth of the CNTs by oxidizing the amorphous carbon and removing the active H2 radicals. However, excessive amounts of O2 (i.e., fraction of O2 > ∼13%) and H2 were found to play a negative role in the growth of the CNTs. The control of the density and length of the CNTs was also achieved by varying the H2 plasma reduction time and CH4 plasma reacting time, respectively. Longer H2 reduction pretreatment of the catalytic metal islands resulted in the formation of a less dense CNT forest with craters. When the growth time of the CNTs was increased to ∼20 min, their length was increased to ∼10 μm. However, when the growth time of the CNTs exceeded 20 min, their length was significantly decreased, indicating that the continuous presence of O2 in the CH4 plasma destroys the preformed CNTs due to the oxidation reaction.

Keywords

NanostructurePlasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) (deposition)
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 24 , Issue 4 , April 2009 , pp. 1536 - 1542
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2009

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