Growth Mechanism, Structural Regulation and Functionalization of Carbon-based Nanotubes

摘要

The growth mechanism is a long-standing and controversial issue in the carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-related studies and has become a choke point for the development of this field. By using the in situ thermal analysis-mass spectroscopic technique,the CVD growth process of CNTs with benzene precursor has been clearly illuminated and the six-membered-ring-based growth mechanism through surface diffusion deduced which is supported by the density functional theory calculations. Along this line, a synergism mechanism of C5N-six-membered-ring-based growth through surface diffusion and vapor-liquid-solid growth through bulk diffusion was further inferred for the synthesis of CNx nanotubes from pyridine precursor. Accordingly, the nitrogen contents thereof electronic properties of the CNx nanotubes have been effectively regulated. Due to the nitrogen participation, CNx nanotubes could be used for the facile construction of various nanocomposites which have great potential for applications in different fields such as catalysis, sensors and electronic devices.