Formation of bamboo-like conducting carbon nanotubes decorated with Au nanoparticles by the thermal decomposition of sucrose in an AAO template Original Research Article

An easy method is reported for the preparation of bamboo-like conducting carbon nanotubes decorated with Au nanoparticles (Au-CNT), by carbonization of sucrose inside of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanochannels (∼80 nm and ∼30 μm in diameter and length, respectively). First, the AAO membrane nanochannels were coated with Au nanoparticles (∼10 nm in diameter) and the carbon nanotubes were then formed in the same channels below 973 K. Electron microscopy shows long bamboo-like carbon nanotubes, ∼30 μm in length, decorated with crystalline gold nanoparticles, ∼50 nm in diameter. The coalescence of the precoated small Au nanoparticles inside the channel results in the attached large Au nanoparticles. The apparent resistivity of the Au-CNT prepared at 973 K, was ∼16.8 Ω cm. The electrical conductivity of the structure is discussed with relation to electrochemical and micro Raman experiments.