Of the variety of methods used to synthesize CNTs(carbon nanotubes), metalencapsulated dendrimers represent a particularly attractive catalyst for nanotube growth. For such nanocomposite growth, our synthetic strategy has been to find a method to control the size and distribution of the catalyst seed particle, as well as to develop a low-temperature, nonreactive means of carbon production, to best preserve the structure of temperature-sensitive dendrimers. As an initial step toward this goal, we present the use of supercritical carbon dioxide as a medium for the decomposition of CCl4 using iron-encapsulated polypropyleneimine (PPI) dendrimers as a catalyst for MWNT growth.
Jason K. Vohs, Jonathan J. Brege, Jeffery E. Raymond, Allan E. Brown, Geoffrey L. Williams,† and Bradley D. Fahlman*
Departments of Chemistry and Biology, Central Michigan UniVersity, Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48859
B J. AM. CHEM. SOC. PAGE EST: 1.9