Nanostructuring of diamond matrices and substrates by carbon nanotubes

Diamond matrices and substrates nanostructured by the in-situ growth of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) via thermal and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD), have been studied by a combination of micro-Raman imaging, and scanning and atomic force microscopy. Thermal CVD growth of SWNT has been carried out using CO or ethanol as carbon precursors, while PE-CVD growth was carried out either with methane or ethanol as precursors. A discussion on the interfacial region between diamond and the catalytically grown (using bimetallic Co and Mo) SWNT covers the interaction of the nanotube sidewalls with diamond during chemical vapor deposition; and thermal conductivity measurements on the diamond-SWNT nanocomposites. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting and Fall Showcase (Cincinnati, OH 10/30/2005-11/4/2005).