Preparation of Iron Catalytic Layer onto Functionalized Silicon Substrate for Synthesis of Carbon Nanotubes

In this study, iron oxide nanoclusters layer (Nc) was prepared onto functionalized silicon substrate by wet method. The amine-terminated SAM fabricated on silicon substrate (APTMS/Si) was carried out by UV-treatment and immersed into the FeCl3/HCl aqueous solution. Then, Nc were immobilized onto oxidized SAM silicon substrate (SAMs/Si) through electrostatic interaction between cationic Nc and anionic SAMs/Si. This catalytic layer (Nc/SAMs/Si) was used to grow carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The characterization results clearly show that the well-graphitized CNTs were synthesized by using functionalized silicon substrate as a template having appropriate density of catalyst. These consequences show that SAM containing template is important to achieve the effective layer of catalyst to synthesize CNTs.