Fabrication of aluminum carbide nanowires by a nano-template reaction

Large quantities of aluminum carbide nanowires have been prepared by the in situ synthesis of carbon nanotubes within Al powder and heat treatment of the obtained nanotube/Al powder. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy, selected area diffraction, and X-ray powder diffraction have been used...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Carbon (New York) 2010-04, Vol.48 (4), p.931-938
Main Authors: He, C.N., Zhao, N.Q., Shi, C.S., Song, S.Z.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science
rheology
Exact sciences and technology
Fullerenes and related materials
diamonds, graphite
Materials science
Physics
Specific materials
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Summary:Large quantities of aluminum carbide nanowires have been prepared by the in situ synthesis of carbon nanotubes within Al powder and heat treatment of the obtained nanotube/Al powder. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy, selected area diffraction, and X-ray powder diffraction have been used to characterize the heat-treated composite powders and the initial one. The results showed that the Al 4C 3 nanowires with diameters ranging from 7 to 25 nm and lengths ranging from 1 to 5 μm are single-crystal. Transmission electron microscopy images indicated that growth of the Al 4C 3 nanowires occurs initially by the formation of a thin, uniform carbide coating and that further growth proceeds by inward growth of this coating with a concomitant consumption of the carbon nanotube until a solid Al 4C 3 nanowire is formed. Reactive wetting kinetics between nanotubes and Al were believed to be responsible for the growth mechanism of Al 4C 3 nanowires.
ISSN:0008-6223
1873-3891
DOI:10.1016/j.carbon.2009.10.004