| Abstract
| - The notion of using support materials to achieve high dispersions of metal particles hasbeen extended to the synthesis of carbon nanofibers from the catalyzed decomposition ofethylene. By using this approach it has been possible to generate nanofibers whose widthsare dictated by the dimensions of the supported metal particles. In addition, the supportmay alter the state of the bulk and/or the surface of the catalyst particle through metal−support interactions, and the impact of this effect is manifested by modifications in thestructural characteristics of the nanofiber deposits. In an attempt to gain a clearer insightinto the influence of metal−support interaction on the growth characteristics of GNF, threemetals, Fe, Ni, and Co that are known to be active catalysts for this process were impregnatedonto silica, graphite, and well-characterized graphite nanofiber supports. Characterizationof the solid carbon products was performed by a variety of approaches including high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), gas-phase analysis, and thermal-programmed oxidation (TPO). The goal of this study was to correlate each nanofiber productwith the behavior of the specific metal/support precursor system. The advantages of usingselected support materials to control the morphologies and sizes of nanofibers is presented.
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