abstract
Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) were grown directly on a pretreated Inconel (R) metallic substrate by thermal chemical vapor deposition without the need of catalyst addition. This experimental approach allows the substrate surface to act as both the catalyst and support for the CNTs growth therefore enhancing the connection between the two. It was found that uniformly dispersed and densely packed nano-sized, intrinsic catalytic particles, generated during the annealing pretreatment, allow the growth of the vertically aligned CNTs. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to assess the quality and the nature of the formed CNTs. Electrochemical measurements were performed to evaluate the possibility to use the Inconel/VACNTs system as an electrode material. As a proof of concept, the capacitive behavior of the VACNTs arrays coupled to the Inconel substrate as the active electrode material and the current collector, respectively, in supercapacitors is demonstrated.
keywords
CHEMICAL-VAPOR-DEPOSITION; IRON-OXIDE NANOPARTICLES
subject category
Chemistry; Energy & Fuels; Materials Science
authors
Silva, RM; Bastos, AC; Oliveira, FJ; Conte, DE; Fan, YF; Pinna, N; Silva, RF
our authors
António Alexandre Cunha Bastos
Assistant Researcher
Filipe José Alves de Oliveira
Principal Researcher
Ricardo Manuel Fonseca Lopes da Silva
Junior Researcher
Rui Ramos Ferreira e Silva
Associate Professoracknowledgements
R. M. Silva is very grateful to FCT for the grant SFRH/BD/90844/2012. The RNME - Pole University of Aveiro, FCT Project REDE/1509/RME/2005 is acknowledged. The authors would like to acknowledge A. J. S. Fernandes and M. C. Ferro from University of Aveiro for the Raman spectra and TEM studies, respectively. This work was developed in the scope of the project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials (Ref. FCT UID/CTM/50011/2013), financed by national funds through the FCT/MEC and co-financed by FEDER under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement.