Carbon Tinkering: Pursuing Longer Nanotubes

[Nannonub]

So I am pursuing the production of carbon nanotubes. I have found easy success with arc discharge and something kind of like progress with a CVD rig I have patched together from another design, but I'm all about longer tubes (guess my gender for a gold star). Of course, longer tubes are the main goal of better educated minds than my own, but that is hardly going to stop me from tinkering. Bare with me as this is not well thought out yet.

Blast a cathode substrate with a charged carbon based inert gas. I want to use a magnetron to convert the gas to plasma so it will carry the charge of an anode nozzle thus directing the plasma flow towards the cathode. The concept being that the carbon would gather on the cathode substrate leaving the allotropes of carbon, then by taking advantage of the conductivity of the (hopefully) nanotubes I could lengthen the gap between anode and cathode thereby lengthening the carbon deposit.
I am not sure that I actually expect this method to work so for now this is just some fun brainstorming and I welcome all and any input or perhaps another direction or more information I could pursue.

 

[AndyW]

Thank you for sharing your ideas and progress in the production of carbon nanotubes. As a scientist in this field, I am always excited to see others pursuing new methods and techniques for producing these amazing materials.

Your idea of using a magnetron to convert a carbon-based gas into plasma and directing it towards a cathode substrate is certainly an interesting one. While I cannot say for certain whether or not this method will work, I do have a few thoughts and suggestions that may help you in your tinkering.

Firstly, it is important to note that the length of carbon nanotubes is not solely determined by the distance between the anode and cathode in the production process. Other factors such as temperature, pressure, and the type of catalyst used also play a significant role in controlling the length of the nanotubes. Therefore, simply increasing the gap between the electrodes may not result in longer nanotubes.

Additionally, the use of a magnetron to convert the gas into plasma may not be the most efficient method. Magnetrons are typically used for generating microwaves and are not specifically designed for plasma generation. It may be worth exploring other plasma generation techniques, such as radio frequency or inductively coupled plasma, which are better suited for this purpose.

In terms of the carbon source, using an inert gas such as argon may not be the most effective choice. Carbon dioxide or methane are commonly used in CVD processes for producing carbon nanotubes, as they provide a more abundant source of carbon atoms for growth.

Overall, I encourage you to continue experimenting and exploring different methods for producing longer carbon nanotubes. Collaboration and open discussions, such as this forum, are crucial for advancing scientific research. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors and look forward to hearing more about your progress.