Method of producing single-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

A method of producing a carbon nanotube product comprising a catalytic particle and carbon nanotubes deposited thereon. The catalytic particles preferably contain Co or Ni metal from Group VIII, and Mo or W metal from Group VIb. The catalytic particle preferably comprises a support material upon which the metals are disposed. The carbon nanotube product is preferably formed by exposing the catalytic particle to a carbon-containing gas at a temperature sufficient to form the carbon nanotubes as a primary portion of a solid carbon product with minor amounts of graphite and amorphous carbon residue.

1 . A method for producing carbon nanotubes, comprising:
 providing catalytic particles comprising at least one Group VIII metal selected from Co and Ni, and at least one Group VIII metal selected from Mo and W, the metals disposed upon a support material selected from the group consisting of silica, silicon, MCM-41, alumina, MgO, aluminum-stabilized magnesium oxide, ZrO 2 , molecular sieve zeolites, oxidic supports, quartz, glass, and oxidized silicon surfaces;   providing a carbon-containing gas; and   feeding the catalytic particles and the carbon-containing gas into a reactor wherein the catalytic particles and carbon-containing gas are mixed at a temperature sufficient to catalytically produce a solid carbon product primarily comprising carbon nanotubes wherein graphite and amorphous carbon comprise less than 10% of the solid carbon product.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the Group VIII metal is Co and the Group VIII metal is Mo. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the Group VIII metal is Ni and the Group VIII metal is Mo. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the Group VIII metal is Co and the Group VIb metal is W. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the Group VIII metal is Ni and the Group VIb metal is W. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the Group VIII metal: Group VIb metal is about 1:20 to about 15:1. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the carbon-containing gas is selected from the group consisting of saturated hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, oxygenated hydrocarbons, alcohols, aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein graphite and amorphous carbon comprise less than 5% of the solid carbon product. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein solid carbon product comprises carbon nanotubes having diameters of 2 nm to 50 nm. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the support material is silica. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the support material is MgO. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the support material is alumina. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the temperature is from 500° C. to 1,200° C.