Nucleation and Growth of bundles of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes (C-SWNTs): the Benard-Marangoni Instability (BMI) model

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel model explaining the nucleation and growth of bundles of single-wall carbon nanotubes (C-SWNTs) through a Benard-Marangoni instability in a supersaturated liquid layer surrounding catalyst nanoparticles.

Contribution

It presents a new theoretical framework linking liquid layer instabilities to nanotube nucleation and growth, supported by linear and nonlinear analyses.

Findings

Prediction of hexagonal convection cell patterns in the liquid layer

Explanation of nanotube nucleation at convection cell centers

Quantitative analysis of instability onset and pattern formation

Abstract

A complete explanation of the synthesis of metal-catalyst nanoparticles, and the subsequent nucleation and growth of bundles of C-SWNTs is introduced using a novel model. It is shown that the synthesis process leads to the formation of a liquid layer supersaturated in carbon surrounding each metallic-catalyst nanoparticle. The onset of a solutal B\'enard-Marangoni instability and the subsequent formation of patterns of hexagonal convection cells in the liquid layer is predicted and quantified by linear and weakly nonlinear analyses. The nucleation and growth of a C-SWNT at the center of convection cell is explained.