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Effect of the manufacturing parameters on the structure of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes produced by catalytic laser-induced chemical vapor deposition

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Abstract

Nitrogen-containing carbon nanotubes (CNx-NTs), with a relatively high level of nitrogen doping were prepared by the catalytic laser-induced CVD method. The nanotubes were catalytically grown directly on a silicon substrate from C2H2/NH3 gaseous precursors. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) give firm evidence for the nitrogen doping. As determined by XPS, the N concentration for the prepared CNx-NTs increases from 3.6 to 30.6 at.% with increasing ammonia concentration and pressure. TEM images indicate that the nanotubes are bamboo like. As the nitrogen content increases, there is a transition from the bamboo shape with few defects and little distortion to a corrugated structure with a much larger number of defects. Raman spectroscopy revealed that with increasing nitrogen concentration, there is more disorder and defects, together with an increase in I D/I G ratio. By energy-filtering TEM, a higher N concentration was found on the outer amorphous nanolayer than in the compartment core of the nanotubes.

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Acknowledgments

The first author (I. P. M.) gratefully acknowledges financial support in the frame of the Project POSDRU/89/1.5/S/63700.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 409 Atomistilor St., P.O. Box MG-36, Bucharest, Romania

    Iuliana P. Morjan, Rodica Alexandrescu, Ion Morjan, Catalin Luculescu & Monica Scarisoreanu

  2. METAV-R&D, 31 C.A. Rosetti St., 020011, Bucharest, Romania

    Eugeniu Vasile

  3. “Ilie Murgulescu” Institute of Physical Chemistry, Romanian Academy, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021, Bucharest, Romania

    Petre Osiceanu

  4. Faculty of Mechanics, University of Craiova, 107 Calea Bucuresti St., 200512, Craiova, Romania

    Gabriela Demian

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  1. Iuliana P. Morjan
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Correspondence to Iuliana P. Morjan.

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Morjan, I.P., Alexandrescu, R., Morjan, I. et al. Effect of the manufacturing parameters on the structure of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes produced by catalytic laser-induced chemical vapor deposition. J Nanopart Res 15, 2045 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-013-2045-z

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