Catalytic growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes with a narrow distribution of diameters over Fe nanoparticles prepared in situ by the reduction of LaFeO3

Bundles of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with a narrower distribution of diameter have been produced by catalytic decomposition of methane at 1010 °C on a newly developed catalyst LaFeO3. The SWNTs were characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The diameter of the SWNTs is in the range of 0.8–1.8 nm. This result shows for the first time that SWNTs could be produced by catalytic decomposition of hydrocarbons without Al2O3, or SiO2 or MgO support.