Quasicrystal as a Catalyst for the Synthesis of Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

The present report describes the catalytic activity of mechanically activated nano quasicrystalline Al65Cu20Fe15 and related nano crystalline Al50Cu28Fe22 for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). CNTs are synthesized by catalytic decomposition of ethanol through nano quasicrystalline Al65Cu20Fe15 and related crystalline Al50Cu28Fe22 alloys as a catalyst. The synthesized multi-walled CNTs exhibits tube diameter ranging from 5 to 25 nm. The synthesized CNTs are characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. It is found that Al65Cu20Fe15 nanoquasicystal shows better catalytic behaviour as compared to nano-crystalline Al50Cu28Fe22 alloys for decomposition of ethanol during the synthesis of multi-walled CNTs.

Ba8Au5.25Ge40.75(110): A Nano-Caged Surface Electronically Controlled by Barium and Gold Adatoms

“…It is the case for icosahedral quasicrystals, whose types are generally classified according to their cluster-type building blocks, either Mackay- (i-AlPdMn), Bergman- (i-AlLiCu) or Tsai-type (i-CdYb) . In these compounds, the interplay between the three-dimensional bulk structure and the two-dimensional surface generally leads to complex energy landscapes, − meaningful as template for further complex molecular ordering on the surface , or for their original surface properties, at least when compared to conventional alloys (low friction and adhesion, , corrosion resistance, , catalytic activity, − etc. ).…”

Quasicrystal: A Beautiful Morphology and Diffraction Pattern

“…Among the no equilibrium techniques developed during the past few decades to synthesize novel materials include rapid solidification from the liquid state, mechanical alloying/ milling, plasma processing, vapour deposition, ion or electron or neutron irradiation [6,7]. As an important and emerging class of no equilibrium materials, such as quasicrystalline alloys have drawn wide attention in the recent years [8][9][10]. Quasicrystalline materials are of interest because of their fundamentally new microstructure and phase dependent novel properties not manifested by identical materials with coarse microstructure [11].…”