Synthesis and characterization of hollow-cavity-stacked one-dimensional carbon nanostructures

Quasi-periodically intermittent hollow-cavity-stacked one-dimensional carbon nanostructures were obtained by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition from the mixture of CH₄ and N₂ on Fe/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst. This structure was characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), high-resolution TEM and X-ray energy dispersive spectral analysis. The results indicate that the trace impurity of nitrogen might account mainly for the formation of these novel nanostructures. The structural units in these one-dimensional carbon nanostructures are full of nanocavities, which may be of potential importance in hydrogen storage.