Calorimetric study of carbon nanotubes and aluminum

Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used to investigate apparent activation energy and reaction order of the reaction of carbon nanotubes and aluminum by Kissinger equation and Crane equation under non-isothermal condition. The reaction product was examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The experimental results show that carbon nanotubes react with aluminum and form Al₄C₃ phases with needle shape. The peak temperature of the reaction of carbon nanotubes and aluminum is found to depend on the heating rate during the continuous heating. Apparent activation energy and reaction order of the reaction of carbon nanotubes and aluminum are 194.01 and 0.92 kJ/mol, respectively.