Growth of single-wall carbon nanotubes within an ordered array of nanosize silica spheres

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), which were well-separated individuals or, small bundles of two to five tubes, were produced in a controllable manner by disproportionation of CO at 700°C and 1 atm in the voids of an ordered array of silica spheres with embedded bimetallic Mo/Co catalytic particles. A combination of transmission electron microscopy, electron energy-loss spectroscopy, and Raman scattering excited with an Ar laser at λ=514.5nm (2.41 eV), was used to characterize the nanotubes. The corresponding Raman spectra strongly indicate that these nanotubes are primarily chiral. This method offers a valid route for a high-quality single-step production of SWCNT composites for mechanical, electronic, and optoelectronic applications.