Synthesis of polygonized carbon nanotubes utilizing inhomogeneous catalyst activity of nonspherical Fe3O4 nanoparticles

The synthesis of novel carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with polygonal cross sections by heating a powder mixture of ferrocene, oxalic acid, and the alkali metal potassium at mediate temperatures (480-500 degrees C) is reported. This kind of special polygonized CNTs has two distinctive characters: first, ribbonlike polygonized CNTs have diameters between 60 and 200 nm, and the lengths as long as several microns; second, the edge of polygonized CNTs is well-graphitized, the wall of which is amorphous. On the basis of evidence that the formation of polygonized CNTs appears to be strongly determined by inhomogeneous catalytic activity of nonspherical Fe3O4 nanoparticles, we propose the possible growth model.