Research Update: Nickel filling in nanofeatures using supercritical fluid and its application to fabricating a novel catalyst structure for continuous growth of nanocarbon fibers

A novel catalyst structure for continuous growth of nanocarbon fibers is proposed. In this structure, catalyst nanofibers are embedded in a membrane that separates the growth ambient into carbon-supplying and carbon-precipitating environments. The catalyst nanofibers pierce through the membrane so that carbon source gas is supplied only to one end of the catalyst fibers and nanocarbon fibers grow continuously at the other end. To realize this structure, self-supporting anodized alumina was used as a membrane, and its nano-through-holes were filled with catalyst Ni in supercritical CO2 fluid. Direct carbon growth from the Ni nanofibers was confirmed using this catalyst structure.