Challenges on synthesis of carbon nanotubes from environmentally friendly green oil using pyrolysis technique

The cost of the production of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is one of the great challenges. The pyrolysis is a simple and economic technique for synthesizing CNTs at low temperatures. Fabrication and characterization of CNTs using pyrolysis process are reported in this work. The precursors, the catalyst, and the carrier gas affect the cost of production. Coconut and olive oils are used as precursors and compared with methanol, ethanol, and acetone, nickel chloride (5 wt%.) as a catalyst and argon as a carrier gas. Si wafer has been used as a substrate and operated at 900 degrees C. The CNTs were characterized by FESEM (Field emission scanning electron microscope), HR-TEM (High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy. The results reveal that as-grown nanotubes are well graphitized with olive oil and acetone than methanol, ethanol or coconut oil. CNTs were prepared by catalytic decomposition of the oil over the metal particles dispersed and supported on the substrate by pyrolysis method. The results illustrated that the different densities of the oils and ratios of saturated hydrocarbons in coconut oil and olive oil caused the production of different carbon products. Moreover, the carbon rods from coconut oil and may be single wall carbon nanotubes from olive oil were observed.