TY - JOUR
T1 - Full factorial design approach to carbon nanotubes synthesis by CVD method in argon environment
AU - Mohammed, I.A.
AU - Bankole, M.T.
AU - Abdulkareem, A.S.
AU - Ochigbo, S.S.
AU - Afolabi, A.S.
AU - Abubakre, O.K.
N1 - Export Date: 18 June 2018
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Whereas meeting product quantity and quality are prime intent in process optimization of materials manufacturing, the application of the more reliable full factorial experiment has not been well-explored in optimization studies of Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) synthesis. In this study, statistical full factorial design of experiment was explored in the parametric studies of CNTs synthesis via acetylene-chemical vapour deposition (CVD). Bimetallic (Fe–Co) catalyst supported on CaCO3 was employed for the synthesis of CNTs. The dependence of CNTs yield on the growth time (45/60 min), growth temperature (700/750 °C), acetylene flow rate (150/190 ml/min), and argon flow rate (230/290 ml/min) was investigated in the 24 factorial design of experiment. The growth temperature and acetylene flow rate were found to have the most significant effects on the yield of CNTs, and a maximum yield of 170% was obtained at growth conditions of 60 min, 700 °C, 190 ml/min acetylene flow rate, and 230 ml/min argon flow rate. Since acetylene undergoes polymerization or dissolution during non-catalyzed thermal decomposition, the significant effects of temperature and acetylene flow rate as illustrated by the factorial analysis suggests that the selective ability of the Fe–Co/CaCO3 catalyst towards CNTs growth in the thermal decomposition of acetylene in CVD was mainly thermodynamics-controlled. Characterization of CNTs samples synthesized at different conditions shows that highest-yield conditions do not guarantee best quality properties. © 2017 The Authors
AB - Whereas meeting product quantity and quality are prime intent in process optimization of materials manufacturing, the application of the more reliable full factorial experiment has not been well-explored in optimization studies of Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) synthesis. In this study, statistical full factorial design of experiment was explored in the parametric studies of CNTs synthesis via acetylene-chemical vapour deposition (CVD). Bimetallic (Fe–Co) catalyst supported on CaCO3 was employed for the synthesis of CNTs. The dependence of CNTs yield on the growth time (45/60 min), growth temperature (700/750 °C), acetylene flow rate (150/190 ml/min), and argon flow rate (230/290 ml/min) was investigated in the 24 factorial design of experiment. The growth temperature and acetylene flow rate were found to have the most significant effects on the yield of CNTs, and a maximum yield of 170% was obtained at growth conditions of 60 min, 700 °C, 190 ml/min acetylene flow rate, and 230 ml/min argon flow rate. Since acetylene undergoes polymerization or dissolution during non-catalyzed thermal decomposition, the significant effects of temperature and acetylene flow rate as illustrated by the factorial analysis suggests that the selective ability of the Fe–Co/CaCO3 catalyst towards CNTs growth in the thermal decomposition of acetylene in CVD was mainly thermodynamics-controlled. Characterization of CNTs samples synthesized at different conditions shows that highest-yield conditions do not guarantee best quality properties. © 2017 The Authors
U2 - 10.1016/j.sajce.2017.06.001
DO - 10.1016/j.sajce.2017.06.001
M3 - Article
SN - 1026-9185
VL - 24
SP - 17
EP - 42
JO - South African Journal of Chemical Engineering
JF - South African Journal of Chemical Engineering
ER -