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Vol. 9 No. 1 (2017)

Investigation on the Formation Mechanism of Double-Layer Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotube Arrays via Single-Step Chemical Vapour Deposition

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-016-0113-5
Shoumo Zhang
Center for Nano and Micro Mechanics, School of Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China
Deli Peng
Center for Nano and Micro Mechanics, School of Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China
Huanhuan Xie
Center for Nano and Micro Mechanics, School of Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China
Quanshui Zheng
Center for Nano and Micro Mechanics, School of Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China
Yingying Zhang
Center for Nano and Micro Mechanics, School of Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Yingying Zhang

yingyingzhang@tsinghua.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 9 No. 1 (2017), Article Number: 12

Abstract

The mechanism for the formation of double-layer vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays (VACNTs) through single-step CVD growth is investigated. The evolution of the structures and defect concentration of the VACNTs are tracked by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. During the growth, the catalyst particles are stayed constantly on the substrate. The precipitation of the second CNT layer happens at around 30 min as proved by SEM. During the growth of the first layer, catalyst nanoparticles are deactivated with the accumulation of amorphous carbon coatings on their surfaces, which leads to the termination of the growth of the first layer CNTs. Then, the catalyst particles are reactivated by the hydrogen in the gas flow, leading to the precipitation of the second CNT layer. The growth of the second CNT layer lifts the amorphous carbon coatings on catalyst particles and substrates. The release of mechanical energy by CNTs provides big enough energy to lift up amorphous carbon flakes on catalyst particles and substrates which finally stay at the interfaces of the two layers simulated by finite element analysis. This study sheds light on the termination mechanism of CNTs during CVD process.

Keywords

Synthesis Vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays CVD Double-layer
Zhang, Shoumo, Deli Peng, Huanhuan Xie, Quanshui Zheng, and Yingying Zhang. 2016. “Investigation on the Formation Mechanism of Double-Layer Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotube Arrays via Single-Step Chemical Vapour Deposition”. Nano-Micro Letters 9 (1):12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-016-0113-5.
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