Effects of different carbon precursors on synthesis of multiwall carbon nanotubes: Purification and Functionalization

► CNTs was synthesized using cyclohexanol and xylene. ► Cyclohexanol reduces amorphous carbon and catalyst deactivation. ► Cyclohexanol can enhance crystallinity and growth of CNTs. ► HNO 3 8 M treatment removes encapsulated catalyst particles from CNTs. ► Among other acid treatments, HNO 3 8 M prevents CNTs damaging. Cyclohexanol and xylene were used as carbon precursors, for synthesis of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) arrays in a CVD system at temperature of 750 °C, using nitrogen as carrier gas and ferrocene as catalyst. Different characterization methods were employed to compare the MWCNTs structure synthesized by these two precursors. All scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Raman spectroscopy results illustrated that using cyclohexanol could significantly reduce formation of amorphous carbon and catalyst particles in the as-grown CNTs. The less amorphous carbon can be attributed to in situ oxidation in presence of oxygen atom of cyclohexanol. Characterizations showed that MWCNTs with high purity could be obtained using cyclohexanol as carbon precursor. The as-grown MWCNTs were purified by oxidation and acid treatment. Characterization of the purified MWCNTs using HNO 3/H 2SO 4 (1/3 or 1/1), 8 M HCl or 8 M HNO 3 was carried out. The results showed that 8 M HNO 3 could be considered as the best chemical to obtain more pure MWCNTs, less amorphous and metal particles and less damaged MWCNTs. The Raman spectroscopy results demonstrated that HNO 3/H 2SO 4 (1/3) treatment could more disorder the MWCNTs structure and this was attributed to the bigger destroying effect of this acid treatment. Furthermore, the TEM analysis of MWCNTs before and after acid treatment revealed that acid treatment could remove encapsulated catalyst particles. The FTIR analysis illustrated that purification of the MWCNTs with nitric acid could connect the functional groups onto the outer surface of MWCNTs and this resulted in more dispersion of the MWCNTs in water.