Production of Single-Wall Nanotubes by High-Temperature Pulsed Arc Discharge: Mechanisms of their Production

Abstract
Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have been produced for the first time using the high-temperature pulsed arc-discharge technique, which has been developed recently in this laboratory, as reported in the conventional steady arc discharge method. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) observations reveal significant production of bundles of SWNTs in soot. The pulsed arc production of SWNTs favors a high-temperature (≥1000°C), long pulses (≥1 ms) and a heavy rare gas such as Ar or Kr as a buffer gas.