Abstract:

Utilizing single-wall carbon nanotubes and ferrocene as raw materials, we synthesized ferrocene-doped carbon nanotubes with a high filling rate through gas phase diffusion method. The obtained materials were confirmed by Raman and infrared spectra. By adjusting laser power on irradiation of samples, obvious changes in the Raman spectra were found, depending on the laser power. The results show that when the laser power is up to 20 mW with the irradiation time of 10 s, some stable new peaks in the Raman spectrum pappeare. In comparative analysis, it was noted that ferrocene formed the iron carbide after laser irradiation and then part of the carbon source transformed into carbon nanotubes and formed double-wall carbon nanotubes. It indicated that the iron carbide was the intermediate products during the conversion of pyrolysis of ferrocene to the inner layer, which was of crucial importance in the comprehension of preparation of double-wall carbon nanotubes by ferrocene-doped carbon nanotubes.

Key words: Ferrocene, Single-wall carbon nanotube, Double-wall carbon nanotube, Laser irradiation