Nickel-containing carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles prepared in a high-frequency arc plasma

This paper presents the results of an investigation of nickel-containing carbon nanostructures prepared by plasma-chemical synthesis in a carbon-helium plasma jet at atmospheric pressure with the arc fed by a high-frequency current. It is demonstrated that, under these conditions, the conversion of graphite into a carbon condensate reaches 98 wt % and the contents of carbon nanotubes and nickel in this condensate are 72 and 10 wt %, respectively. Sequential treatment with nitric and hydrochloric acids has made it possible to extract purified carbon nanotubes and nickel nanoparticles coated with a carbon shell (approximately 50 nm thick) in which the nickel content is 4 wt %. Data are presented on the diameters of the prepared nanotubes and on the state of carbon in the samples.