Preparation of carbon nanotubes by pyrolysis of dimethyl sulfide

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been synthesized by cobalt-catalyzed pyrolysis of dimethyl sulfide (C2H6S). The influences of the experimental conditions on the morphology and microstructure of the product have been quantitatively analyzed. The synthesis temperature of 1000 °C is required for the decomposition of C2H6S. Both of the C2H6S vapor concentration and flow rate in the reaction chamber determine the quality of the product; the optimum C2H6S vapor concentration for CNT growth is around 3.36–5.48%. High flow rate of C2H6S vapor promote the formation of branched CNTs (BCNTs). The detailed growth mechanism of BCNTs has been proposed.