Fractal analysis of carbon nanotube agglomerates obtained by chemical vapor decomposition of ethylene over nickel nanoparticles

Fractal geometry was used to describe the morphology of agglomerates of carbon nanotubes (CNT) obtained by the thermal decomposition of ethylene in the presence of water vapor over nickel nanoparticles. Analysis of the structure of the CNT by electron transmission and scanning microscopy showed that CNT agglomerates have fractal structure with fractal dimension D (0) = 2.65 +/- 0.05 and their formation proceeds by the same mechanism regardless of the ethylene partial pressure.