Background
Today, three main methods exist for synthesizing single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT): arc discharge, pulsed laser vaporization, and chemical vapor deposition. The growing interest in and demand for SWNTs for technical applications and for fundamental science requires more flexible synthesis approaches, such as variation of catalyst particles or chemical compositions, variation of supporting/substrate materials, synthesis temperature and gases. Such variation can have meaningful influence on the formation of SWNTs; such influence should be investigated. However, the three current methods do not allow for such flexibility. For this purpose, chemical vapor deposition has proven more suitable.

Invention Description
The disclosed invention offers a method of synthesis of single wall carbon nanotubes using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method at low temperature (less than 680 degrees Celsius). The method works by modifying catalyst parameters, such as chemical composition and ratio of support material combined with preliminary reduction of metal catalysts. For a given composition of bimetallic catalyst particles (Fe/Mo, 1:0.2) it was observed that the presence of Mo particles in the catalysts or preliminary reduction in case of the single metallic catalysts (Fe) are equivalent to an additional energy, which was sufficient for formation of SWNTs at low temperature.

File Number: 2543