Bamboo-shaped carbon tubes from coal

Bamboo-shaped carbon tubes (BCTs) were first synthesized in high yields from iron-loaded carbon electrodes prepared from coal by arc discharge. The BCTs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TEM characterization reveals that the tubes have bamboo-like structures consisting of hollow compartments separated with conical shaped graphite layers. The diameters of BCTs are in the range of 40–60 nm with their length being about several micrometers. For some BCTs, the hollow compartments are quite uniform with a size of 100 nm. A growth model is suggested to explain the formation of bamboo structure in tubes.