PROCESS FOR PREPARING SINGLE WALL CARBON NANOTUBES OF PRE-DEFINED CHIRALITY

摘要

The present invention relates to a process for preparing single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) having a diameter d SWCNT , which comprises
(i) providing a precursor element which comprises a segment S SWCNT of the single wall carbon nanotube,
the segment S SWCNT being made of at least one ring formed by ortho-fused benzene rings, and having a first end E1 which is open and a second end E2 which is opposite to the first end E1,
(ii) growing the precursor element by vapour phase reaction with a carbon-source compound on the surface of a metal-containing catalyst, wherein the precursor element is in contact with the surface of the metal-containing catalyst via the open end E1 of the segment S SWCNT , and the metal-containing catalyst is in the form of particles having an average diameter d cat satisfying the following relation: d cat > 2 x d SWCNT or in the form of a continuous film.