Supercritical fluid assisted synthesis and processing of carbon nanotubes.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) constitute one of the most fascinating nanomaterials with specific properties and enormous applications. Taking advantages of the unique properties of supercritical fluids (SCFs), various techniques have been developed to produce and process CNTs and related nanostructured materials when conventional techniques become unviable. Herein we propose a critical review of these SCF based techniques.

Supercritical fluid attachment of palladium nanoparticles on aligned carbon nanotubes.

Nanocomposite materials consisting of Pd nanoparticles deposited on aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes have been fabricated through hydrogen reduction of palladium-beta-diketone precursor in supercritical carbon dioxide. The supercritical fluid processing allowed deposition of high-density Pd nanoparticles (approximately 5-10 nm) on both as-grown (unfunctionalized) and functionalized (using HNO3 oxidation) nanotubes. However, the wet processing for functionalization results in pre-agglomerated, bundle-shaped nanotubes, thus significantly reducing the effective surface area for Pd particle deposition, although the bundling provides more secure, lock-in-place positioning of nanotubes and Pd catalyst particles.

Modification of SiO2 nanowires with metallic nanocrystals from supercritical CO2.

Through hydrogen reduction of metal precursors in supercritical CO2, Cu, and Pd, nanocrystals were deposited onto SiO2 nanowires to form different types of nanostructured materials, including nanocrystal-nanowire, spherical aggregation-nanowire, shell-nanowire composites, and "mesoporous" metals supported by the framework of nanowires. This supercritical fluid deposition technique is an attractive approach for modifying nanowires because of its generality and simplicity; the modified nanowires could be useful as catalysts and for further fabrication of multifunctional composites.