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An Experimental Estimate of the Free Energy of Formation of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

L. M. Wagg
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Nanostructured Materials Research Group 1617. Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado 80401
G. L. Hornyak
Affiliation:
University of Denver, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 2199 S. University Boulevard, Denver, Colorado 80208
L. Grigorian
Affiliation:
Honda Research Institute USA, 1381 Kinnear Road, Suite 116, Columbus, OH 43212
A. C. Dillon
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Nanostructured Materials Research Group 1617. Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado 80401
K. M. Jones
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Nanostructured Materials Research Group 1617. Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado 80401
J. Blackburn
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Nanostructured Materials Research Group 1617. Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado 80401
P. A. Parilla
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Nanostructured Materials Research Group 1617. Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado 80401
M. J. Heben
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Nanostructured Materials Research Group 1617. Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado 80401
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Abstract

Single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) were synthesized by methane CVD on a supported mixed transition metal (Fe/Mo) catalyst. Gas feed composition and reaction temperature were varied to identify the threshold conditions for the growth of SWNT. These reaction conditions closely approximate pseudo-equilibrium conditions with some active reaction intermediate (likely chemisorbed carbon atoms) that proceeds to nucleate and grow SWNT. This value also serves as an estimated upper limit of the free energy of formation ΔG*(T)SWNT since the active intermediate proceeds to form SWNT through a process that is thought to be essentially irreversible. The difference relative to graphite is in good agreement with literature values predicted from simulations for SWNT nuclei containing approximately 80 atoms, while considerably larger than that predicted for bulk 5, 5 SWNT. Our estimate over the range 700 to 1000 °C of 16.1 to 13.9 kJ/mol is considerably greater than the free energy of formation for diamond (between 5.8 and 6.9 kJ/mol from 700 to 925 °C).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

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