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Ostwald Ripening Of Iron (Fe) Catalyst Nanoparticles On Aluminum Oxide Surfaces (Al2O3) For The Growth Of Carbon Nanotubes, Roberto I. Acosta

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Theoretical models have proposed that the nucleation and growth mechanism of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been affected by the catalytic activity of transition metals. The catalyst behavior during growth has been mainly associated as the responsible mechanism for the termination of CNT growth. Although several hypotheses have been developed to explain this mechanism, is still today an unresolved phenomenon. It was recently shown that the Ostwald ripening of iron (Fe) nanoparticles played a dominant role in the termination of CNT growth. The Ostwald ripening mechanism was further investigated as a function of thermal annealing in Hydrogen (H₂) for …