Solid‐State Pyrolyses of Metal Phthalocyanines: A Simple Approach towards Nitrogen‐Doped CNTs and Metal/Carbon Nanocables

Metal core/carbon sheath nanocables were fabricated by the solid-state pyrolysis of iron phthalocyanine. The nanocables (see TEM image) are long and consist of a single-crystal iron carbide core and graphitic carbon sheath. By choosing different metal phthalocyanines and different pyrolysis procedures, bulk carbon nanotubes of varying morphologies were obtained in a controlled fashion from this simple and economic method. In addition, unusually shaped carbon nanotubes were produced.