A three-step process was carried out to form carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on a biomorphic carbon template (BCT). First, natural wood with 20-μm pores was transformed into a carbon template via carbonization pyrolysis. Thereafter, LTA zeolite crystals were synthesized to have a crystal size of 0.3 μm, and an in situ hydrothermal process was used to coat the BCT with a single, homogeneous zeolite layer. Finally, CNTs were synthesized on the zeolite-coated biomorphic carbon template (ZCBCT) via catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) with acetylene (C2H2) as a carbon source. In this study, we focused on varying the reaction time and temperature to improve the CNT yield and assess the morphology, crystallinity, and yield percentage of the CNTs. Multi-walled CNTs with an inner diameter of 10.7 nm were synthesized at 650 oC, and a maximum CNT yield of 7.09% was obtained at 180 min
Keywords: Carbon nanotubes, Biomorphic carbon template, Carbonization, Hydrothermal, Catalytic chemical vapor deposition