Carbon nanotubes: The solar approach Original Research Article

Using the same experimental set-up as for the solar production of fullerenes, we can also produce carbon nanotubes by direct vaporization of a mixture of powdered carbon and catalyst (Co, Ni, Y). The structure of the nanotubes is strongly dependent on the experimental conditions (pressure and flow rate of Ar gas) and we can obtain either multi-walled nanotubes or ropes of single-walled nanotubes.