Coiled carbon nanotubes growth and DSC study in epoxy-based composites

Coiled carbon nanotubes were prepared by catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) on finely divided Co nanoparticles supported on silica gel under reduced pressure and relatively low gas flow rates. The morphology of the coiled carbon nanotubes was examined by transmission electron microscope (TEM), while the graphitization of coil tube, coil bend and coil node was analyzed by high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). Compared with the straight single-walled and multi-walled nanotube/epoxy composites, the coiled nanotube/epoxy composites showed a poor endothermic ability from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) examination.