Method of forming carbon nanotubes from carbon rich fly ash

Research Field: Material/Carbon nanostructure

Content of research: 

    The method includes first ultrasonically treating the carbon-rich fly ash to procluce an ultrafine powdered ash, and then reacting the ultrafine powdered ash in a low pressure chemical vapor deposition reactor to form the carbon nanotubes. The ultrasonic treatment of the carbon-rich fly ash includes the steps of dissolving the carbon-rich fly ash in water to fom a solution, then sonicating the solution, separating the ultrafine powdered ash from the solution，and finally drying the ultrafine powdered ash. The method provides for total conversion of the carbon-rich fly ash to carbon nanotubes having a variety of differing diameters and lengths, inc1uding multi-walled carbon nanotubes with a high degree of wall graphitization and C==C double bonds stretching at 1635 cm^-1