Jing Wang

 Graduate Research Project                                                                                                            

The Design of Ultrafast Routes to Synthesis Carbon Nanotubes by Microwave

Carbon nanotubes are seamless cylinders of carbon skeletons with hexagonal honey comb structures. It also could be seen as the rolling of one or more layers of graphene. Because of this unique structure, it shows outstanding properties including high elastic modulus, large tensile strength, and high thermal conductivity. Thus, it has drawn much attention from material researchers and can be applied in many areas now and in the future in different fields such as energy storage, water purification, biosensors, and microelectronics to achieve functionalization. Here, an ultrafast and more energy-efficient route to synthesis carbon nanotubes is designed.

There are two major routes involved in this research. Firstly, carbon nanotubes can be produced by direct microwave irradiation of the solid mixture of ferrocene and graphite nanoplates. Here ferrocene serves as metal catalyst. Carbon nanotubes will form in 15-30 seconds. Also, zirconium is included in some samples as catalyst, and carbon nanotubes also formed in shorter time. The irradiation of this mixture in the presence of organic solvents is also studied.

In the second route, substrates are introduced to direct the growth of carbon nanotubes. Normal flat glass slides and indium tin oxide (ITO) slides are used as substrates. Carbon nanotubes could be observed with an irradiation time ranging from 40 seconds to 10 minutes. Besides, another unique structure, which is called carbon nanocoils, is also produced as a by-product. All the carbon nanotubes and nanocoils are characterized by SEM and TEM. The effect of microwave conditions on the formation and morphology of carbon nanotubes are also studied.

• University of Missouri - Columbia, Department of Chemical Engineering, 01/2012 - 05/2014
• This is Du's master thesis project. Du Tang was a graduate student in Dr. Sheila Baker's group, and has graduated with Master's Degree in May 2014. He's currently pursuing his PhD in Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Tulane University.
• I supported Du with helpful suggestions and assurance throught the whole research project, and I helped him with the TEM characterizations of the carbon nanotubes.
• A preview of Du's MS Thesis is attached. Full thesis could be provided upon request.
• Manuscript of "Synthesis of Carbon Nanotubes by Microwave Irradiation" is finished and ready to submit.

• Advisor: Dr. Sheila Baker