Towards a better understanding of FC-CVD carbon nanotube synthesis

更好地理解 FC-CVD 碳纳米管合成

• 批准号: 2891622
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Cambridge
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2891622
• 关键词: Towards; better; understanding; FC; CVD

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are an exciting material due to their exception electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. The floating catalyst chemical vapour deposition (FC-CVD) process for CNT synthesis allows the continuous production of CNT aerogels. These aerogels can be collected directly from the reactor as fibres and mats for use in a range of applications. Since its invention in Cambridge in 2004, the FC-CVD process has been intensively researched leading to breakthroughs in understanding of the physical mechanisms underlying the process. These studies have relied on extractive measurements, but the limitations of such techniques leave blind spots in our understanding of the process. I aim to develop an optically transparent FC-CVD reactor capable of performing in-situ Raman, FTIR and other measurements of the process. This will allow a more detailed study of the FC-CVD growth process, especially regarding the nature of short-lived radical species that cannot be measured using extractive techniques. This project sits firmly within the EPSRC's themes of energy and decarbonisation, and engineering. Carbon nanotubes are the frontier of what humans can make in terms of their exceptional material properties, these properties give CNTs the potential to unlock new technological and engineering capabilities. However, the synthesis of CNTs in FC-CVD reactors is not fully understood, making it difficult to scale the process up to industrial scales while providing the efficiency needed for commercial success. By improving our understanding of the FC-CVD process for CNT synthesis, I aim to enable the design of more efficient reactors. Additionally, our process converts methane into solid carbon (CNTs) and hydrogen, the latter can then be used in applications such as industrial processes and clean energy. This process has a much lower CO2 intensity than steam methane reforming, the most common method of hydrogen production today.

碳纳米管（CNT）是一种令人兴奋的材料，因为它们的异常电气，热和机械性能。 CNT合成的浮动催化剂化学蒸气沉积（FC-CVD）过程允许连续生产CNT Aerogels。这些气凝胶可以直接从反应器中收集，作为纤维和垫子，以用于一系列应用。自2004年在剑桥发明发明以来，FC-CVD过程进行了深入的研究，从而突破了该过程的物理机制。这些研究取决于提取性测量，但是这种技术的局限性在我们对过程的理解中留下了盲点。我的目标是开发一种能够执行该过程的原位拉曼，FTIR和其他测量值的光学透明FC-CVD反应器。这将允许对FC-CVD生长过程进行更详细的研究，尤其是关于无法使用提取技术测量的短寿命激进物种的性质。该项目牢固地属于EPSRC的能源和脱碳和工程主题。碳纳米管是人类在其特殊材料特性方面所能创造的边界，这些特性使CNTS具有解锁新技术和工程能力的潜力。但是，FC-CVD反应堆中CNT的合成尚未完全理解，因此很难将过程扩展到工业规模，同时提供商业成功所需的效率。通过提高我们对CNT合成FC-CVD过程的理解，我的目标是使更有效的反应堆的设计。此外，我们的过程将甲烷转化为固体碳（CNT）和氢，后者可以在工业过程和清洁能源等应用中使用。该过程的二氧化碳强度比蒸汽甲烷重整（当今最常见的氢生产方法）低得多。