A simple synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbon micro- and nanotubes

Abstract

Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs) have shown promising performance in a variety of applications: catalysts, catalyst supports, lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. While chemical vapor deposition continues to be the most common method for N-CNT fabrication, its complexity and high cost have prevented the practical implementation of N-CNTs on a larger scale. Here, we describe a new and simple method for N-CNT synthesis. This method is not only potentially scalable to any required level but also allows for the control of the tube size (20–1000 nm in diameter) and nitrogen doping levels (4–9 at%) through the selection of most suitable transition metal and heat-treatment conditions.