Chapter 2
Synthesizing Aligned Carbon Nanotube
Arrays for Composite Applications
There are two primary techniques for the CVD production of A-CNTs, and
each comes with its own strengths and weaknesses depending on the desired
application of the end product. The main distinction between the two lies in how
the catalyst is introduced to the system, and the manner in which it interacts with
the carbon source.
For this thesis work, two separate growth furnaces were constructed and the
resultant growth products from both were compared for viability as reinforcement
in vertically-aligned CNT nanocomposites. In this chapter I will discuss the
differences between these two techniques and highlight my observations of their
drawbacks and successes for the production of A-CNTs for composite applications.
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