Carbon Nanotubes Produced from Natural Cellulosic Materials

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were produced from wood fiber using a low temperature process, which included continuous oxidization at 240 degrees C and cyclic oxidation at 400 degrees C. The inside diameter of the CNTs was approximately 4-5 nm and the outside diameter ranged from 10 nm to 20 nm. No CNTs were produced when pure lignin and cellulose were tested indicating that the molecular and spatial arrangement of cell wall plays an important role in CNT formation. The research suggests that the chemical components in the secondary plant cell wall and their differential ablation properties are critical for the formation of CNTs at these comparatively low temperatures.