Macronized aligned carbon nanotubes for use as catalyst support and ceramic nanoporous membrane template

An aligned carbon nanotube carpet was synthesized by catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) process at 800 °C with a mixture of ferrocene and toluene, using a removable quartz substrate as macroscopic pre-form. The strong anchorage of the aligned nanotube array at the macroscopic host surface allows the nano–macro-composite to be considered as a nano-ordered macroscopic material and self-supported aligned nanotubes could be obtained by substrate removal. The carpet thickness could be accurately controlled from few tenth micrometers to more than few millimeters by tuning the synthesis duration. Such a nano–macro-composite could be used as high contact surface catalyst support with low pressure drop. The aligned nanotube array was efficiently used as removable precursor template in the design of β-SiC ceramic nanoporous membranes.