Laser-assisted production of multi-walled carbon nanotubes from acetylene

A production method of carbon nanotubes using the catalytic decomposition of acetylene has been developed. Metal clusters are formed by laser vaporisation of solid nickel in situ in a hot reaction tube containing a mixture of acetylene and argon. The laser generated clusters act as catalysts for the growth of nanotubes. With this method multi-walled tubes were obtained with inner diameters of 3–10 nm and outer diameters of 10–100 nm. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the tubes are highly graphitic. The results obtained are explained by a growth model.