Carbon nanomaterials from carbon monoxide using nickel and cobalt catalysts

Two catalysts, nickel and cobalt, supported on MgO were used for carbon nanomaterials deposition by CO disproportionation. The syntheses were performed at 795 and 900 K in the hydrogen atmosphere. The resulting products were investigated using atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Although in the literature carbon nanofibres are expected to form in the hydrogen presence, we obtained carbon nanotubes, which were multiwall and twisted with the outer diameter of 10-120 nm and the tube length up to 10 μm.