Large area synthesis of conical carbon nanotube arrays on graphite and tungsten foil substrates

Conical carbon nanotube (CCNT) arrays were synthesized over a large area of approximately 1 cm² or more on graphite and tungsten foil substrates. Experimental observations reveal that nucleation is caused by catalyst metal cluster in the initial stages, but the tapered morphology occurs due to the difference in the rates of vertical growth by attachment carbon atoms at edges of growing graphene sheets and radial growth with epitaxial nucleation of new graphene layers near bottom at the substrate. The above mechanism is supported through re-growth experiments on straight multi-walled nanotubes and growth kinetics data, which suggest a linear relationship between the growth rate and ratio of diameter to length (d/l) of CCNT.