Direct correlation of carbon nanotube nucleation and growth with the atomic structure of rhenium nanocatalysts stimulated and imaged by the electron beam

Cao, Kecheng; Chamberlain, Thomas W.; Biskupek, Johannes; Zoberbier, Thilo; Kaiser, Ute; Khlobystov, Andrei N.

Abstract

Sub-nanometre Re clusters confined in a single-walled carbon nanotube are activated by the 80 keV electron beam to promote the catalytic growth of a new carbon nanotube. Transmission electron microscopy images the entire process step-by-step, with atomic resolution in real time, revealing details of the initial nucleation followed by a two-stage growth. The atomic dynamics of the Re cluster correlate strongly with the nanotube formation process, with the growth accelerating when the catalyst becomes more ordered. In addition to the nanotube growth catalysed by Re nanoclusters, individual atoms of Re released from the nanocluster play a role in the nanotube formation.

Citation

Cao, K., Chamberlain, T. W., Biskupek, J., Zoberbier, T., Kaiser, U., & Khlobystov, A. N. (2018). Direct correlation of carbon nanotube nucleation and growth with the atomic structure of rhenium nanocatalysts stimulated and imaged by the electron beam. Nano Letters, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b02657

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 5, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Sep 5, 2018
• Publication Date: Sep 5, 2018
• Deposit Date: Oct 5, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 6, 2019
• Journal: Nano Letters
• Print ISSN: 1530-6984
• Electronic ISSN: 1530-6992
• Publisher: American Chemical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b02657
• Keywords: Mechanical Engineering; General Materials Science; Bioengineering; General Chemistry; Condensed Matter Physics
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1148413
• Additional Information: This document is the unedited Author’s version of a Submitted Work that was subsequently accepted for publication in Nano Letters, copyright ©American Chemical Society after peer review. To access the final edited and published work see https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b02657