N-Doped Carbon Nanotubes: A Single-Step Synthesis Methodology

Utilizing aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD), they produced hybrid nanomaterials that mix the properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with some great benefits of metallic nanoparticles.

A latest examine revealed within the journal Nanotechnology detailed the synthesis and characterization of those supplies, highlighting their structural and electrochemical properties and potential functions in electronics and vitality storage.

The Function of Carbon Nanomaterials

Carbon nanomaterials, primarily CNTs, have gained important consideration resulting from their wonderful electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties. These options make them helpful in electronics, vitality storage, and composite supplies.

Incorporating nitrogen into the CNT construction additional enhances their electrochemical efficiency, leading to nitrogen-doped CNTs (N-CNTs) that carry out even higher in units like supercapacitors and batteries. Nonetheless, optimizing synthesis circumstances stays a key problem for reaching high-quality N-CNTs with fascinating structural and purposeful traits.

Synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanotubes

Researchers centered on synthesizing N-MWCNTs on copper foil substrates utilizing a single-step AACVD technique with a precursor combination of benzylamine (C₇H₉N) and ferrocene (C₁₀H₁₀Fe). The experimental setup included a quartz tube reactor heated by a horizontal tubular furnace, with 40 cm-long copper foils serving as substrates.

The synthesis was performed at 5 temperatures (750°C, 800°C, 850°C, 900°C, and 950°C) for 80 minutes underneath a managed argon-hydrogen gasoline circulate (1 L/min). This variation allowed the examine of how warmth affected the morphology and properties of the N-MWCNTs.

After synthesis, the samples had been characterised utilizing methods like scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Raman spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Moreover, ImageJ software program was used to investigate nanoparticle sizes, whereas electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to guage capacitive conduct.

Structural and Compositional Outcomes

Temperature considerably influenced the morphology, composition, and electrochemical conduct of the N-MWCNTs grown on copper foils. At 750 °C, the fabric primarily consisted of multilayer graphene islands and Fe- and Cu-based nanoparticles encapsulated in graphitic carbon, with a number of CNTs additionally current, indifferent from the copper substrate.

SEM pictures confirmed skinny tubular constructions with a mean CNT diameter of roughly 8 nm and NP sizes of round 14 nm. EDS evaluation indicated atomic concentrations of carbon (C, 83.82%), Fe (10.94%), Cu (0.92%), and oxygen (O, 4.32%).

At 800 °C, the expansion shifted towards bamboo-shaped N-MWCNT bundles, with diameters starting from 5 nm to 40 nm and a excessive density of Fe and Cu nanoparticles. EDS confirmed optimum elemental composition with C (92.08%), Fe (5.59%), Cu (0.20%), and O (2.13%), suggesting environment friendly benzylamine decomposition and enhanced nitrogen incorporation. TEM confirmed that two distinct sorts of CNTs had been produced: thicker bamboo-shaped N-MWCNTs adorned with Fe nanoparticles and thinner CNTs possible catalyzed by Cu nanoparticles.

At 850-950 °C synthesis temperatures, bigger tubular-defective fiber-type carbonaceous aggregates (~500 nm) had been produced with fewer CNTs. EDS indicated fluctuating elemental concentrations, with pattern 950 exhibiting the very best Cu content material (5.74%) and the bottom Fe content material (2.88%).

Raman spectroscopy confirmed the graphitic nature of the synthesized supplies, displaying clear D, G, and 2D bands. The I_D/I_G ratio ranged from 0.79 to 0.88, indicating reasonable structural dysfunction, whereas the G-band downshift recommended improved graphitization.

EIS indicated that N-MWCNTs synthesized at 800 °C exhibited promising capacitive conduct, with a cost switch resistance (R_ct) of 1884 Ω and a double-layer capacitance (C_dl) of 1.07×10^-1 Fcm^-2, making them appropriate for vitality storage functions.

Against this, samples synthesized at 850 °C and 950 °C confirmed diffusion limitations and considerably decrease capacitance values, displaying that 800 °C offered probably the most favorable stability of structural order and electrochemical efficiency.

Purposes of N-Doped Carbon Nanotubes

The synthesized hybrid supplies have important potential to be used in vitality storage units, primarily supercapacitors. The N-MWCNTs synthesized at 800 °C demonstrated low charge-transfer resistance and excessive double-layer capacitance, indicating wonderful cost storage means. Their nitrogen doping and ornament with metallic nanoparticles improved electrochemical efficiency, making them appropriate for versatile electronics.

A key benefit of this technique is the direct development of N-MWCNTs on copper substrates, which eliminates the necessity for binders or present collectors and reduces interfacial resistance. This simplification may allow the creation of light-weight, environment friendly, and steady vitality units.

Past supercapacitors, these N-MWCNTs may additionally improve lithium-ion batteries and different quick cost–discharge techniques. Their means to fine-tune their construction and metallic nanoparticle content material offers alternatives for catalysis and sensing functions.

Conclusion and Future Instructions

This analysis efficiently demonstrated the single-step AACVD synthesis of N-MWCNTs on copper substrates, highlighting the sturdy affect of synthesis temperature on the morphology, composition, and electrochemical properties of the ensuing nanomaterials. The optimum temperature of 800 °C produced bamboo-shaped N-MWCNTs adorned with Fe and Cu nanoparticles, displaying excessive carbon content material and wonderful capacitive conduct.

Future work ought to focus not solely on fine-tuning synthesis parameters and exploring various precursor combos but additionally on testing totally different substrate supplies and deposition circumstances, which may yield a greater variety of hybrid nanomaterials with tailor-made properties.

Investigating substrate modifications and hybrid materials designs might develop electrodes with improved electrochemical conduct and functions past vitality storage, similar to sensing and catalysis.

Total, this examine presents key insights into the managed development of hybrid carbon nanomaterials and paves the best way for revolutionary functions in a broader discipline.

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Journal Reference

Padilla-Teniente, B, V., & et al. (2025). Copper foils as substrates for rising nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes. Nanotechnology, 36, 365601. DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ae0042, https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6528/ae0042

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