Synthesis of carbon tubule nanocoils using Fe-In-Sn-O fine particles as catalysts.

We have developed Fe-In-Sn-O fine particle or powder catalysts for synthesizing carbon nanocoils by catalytic thermal chemical vapor deposition. The coprecipitation technique was used to produce the powder catalysts. By optimizing the composition ratios of Fe, In (between 10 and 33% of Fe), and Sn (less than 3.3% of Fe), carbon nanocoils could be grown in high yield. From the study of optimizing the compositions of In and Sn and the study of crystal structures of the catalysts using X-ray diffraction measurements, it was also found that Sn in the catalysts was required to grow carbon nanocoils and that In plays roles in increasing the yield of carbon nanocoils and controlling the coil diameters. This study will lead to the mass production of carbon nanocoils and therefore widen their applications.