Synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes using MgO as a catalyst support

Single-walled carbon nanotubes were synthesized by thermal decomposition of methane over a metal catalyst supported on MgO. MgO as a catalyst support was easily removed by dissolving in acid, and the content of SWNTs in purified samples was up to 90%. Cobalt can catalytically promote production of SWNTs more strongly than ferrite during the methane-based chemical vapor decomposition processing. Some products with a very large diameter of about 5 nm expect to be well used in basic and application research.