Raman Spectroscopy Study of Carbon Nanotubes Prepared at Different Deposition Temperature Using Camphor Oil as a Precursor

Abstract

The aim of this study is to engage a basic understanding of the information micro-Raman spectroscopy may yield when this characterization tool is applied to carbon nanotubes. All collective vibrations that occur in crystals can be viewed as the superposition of plane waves, called phonons, that virtually propagate to infinity. The two dominant Raman features are the radial breathing mode at low frequencies, the tangential G band and the D band multi-feature at higher frequencies. Carbon nanotubes (CNT) were formed by double furnace chemical vapor deposition. This method was based on the pyrolysis of liquid aerosols containing hydrocarbons as carbon source (camphor oil), ferrocene as the catalyst source and nitrogen as the carrier gas. The samples were prepared by placing the carbon precursor on the alumina boat into the first furnace which contains the catalyst source at different alumina boat heated at 200 °C and passed through the deposition furnace. The deposition furnace was heated at 500-900°C for 1 hour depositing CNT without annealing treatment. Then, the samples were characterized using micro-Raman spectrometer obtaining the carbon G and D peaks around 1580 cm1 and 1350 cm1 respectively and the image of the CNT produced were obtained from field emission scanning electron microscope and high resolution transmission electron microscope. Keywords: micro-Raman spectroscopy, Carbon nanotubes, Camphor oil