Catalyst-free solvothermal synthesis of carbon nanotubes

Conventional methods of producing carbon nanotubes are generally limited by the length and quality of the tubes and maybe more importantly, cost. This paper presents the development of solvothermal techniques designed to produce a highly scalable and cost effective method for producing carbon nanotubes in long and highly aligned bundles, without the use of transition metal catalysts. In addition, the nanotubes are prepared from feedstock materials that are otherwise persistent chemical pollutants, making the process of potential interest in environmental remediation.