Subject Number             :S-17-NI-0004

Support Type                :Collaborative research

Proposal Title (English)      :TEM observation of carbon nanomaterials using NiO and Fe₂O₃as catalyst and willemite nanopowder

Username (English)        :Yazid Bin Yaakob

Affiliation (English)             :Universiti Putra Malaysia

1. Summary

Study of nanomaterials have become really important topic these days, where exploitation of the novel properties will lead to miniturization of devices with optimum performance and abilities. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is one of powerful instrument to observe these materials nanostructure and distribution. Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) have attract many interests due to their unique properties and applied in various fields such as electronics, medicine and catalysis. Iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) and nickel oxide (NiO) powder have been used as catalyst to investigate the growth of CNMs via Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)with different catalyst type and size of particle. On the other hands, willemite(Zn₂SiO₄)is aninorganic mineral used in modern day technology for opto-electronics application. Here in, willemite nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via water based solution consisting of zinc acetate dihydrate, silicon tetraacetate, polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and a calcination process at 900 °C for several holding time between 2-4 h. All sample were analyzed using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM)images and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). Thus, the study of catalyst during CVD process are important for a better understanding of the nanomaterials growth. 

2. Experimental

Both sample of CNMs and willmite were in powder form. The sample were dispersed on the Cu mesh before mount on the TEM holder. All sample were analyzed using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM: JEM ARM-200F) images and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) at 200 kV.  

3. Results and Discussion

Figures 1 and 2 show HR TEM images of carbon nanomaterials grown via CVD. It shows that CNTs growth from Fe2O3 catalyst while NiO only promotes graphitic structure. The results indicates that Iron promotes higher CNT growth compared to nickel. The size of catalyst also play an important role as the smaller catalyst (less than 20nm) will lead to CNT formation.

Figure 3 shows HRTEM images of willemite NP.It shows uniformity with relatively hexagonal shape and homogeneous size distribution.

4. Others

This project has received funding from Universiti Putra Malaysia through the Geran Putra -Inisiatif Putra Muda (GP-IPM/2017/9543800).

5. Publication/Presentation

(1) S. Sharma, M. S. Rosmi, Y. Yaakob, M. Z. M. Yusop, G. Kalita,  M. Kitazawa, M. Tanemura, Carbon 132 (2018) 165-171.

(2) Yazid Yaakob, Mohammad Adib Hazan, Ellyanie Balqis Hasmuei, Mackinley Bujang Anak Guma, Mohamad Shuhazlly Mamat, Mohamad Saufi Rosmi, Subash Sharma, Masaki Tanemura; Synthesis of carbon nanomaterials by chemical vapor deposition : Effect of catalyst; Fundamental Science Congress 2017 (FSC2017), 21-22 November 2017, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.

(3) Mohamad Saufi ROSMI, Mohd Zamri YUSOP, Yazid YAAKOB, Zurita ZULKIFLI, Riteshkumar VISHWAKARMA, Golap KALITA, Masaki TANEMURA, 9th International Conference on Materials for Advanced Technologies (ICMAT2017), Singapore, Jun.18-23 (2017).

(4) Tanemura M, Vishwakarma R, Takahashi K, Araby M I, Wakamatsu Y, Kalita G, Rosmi M S, Yaakob Y, Kitazawa M, 33rd EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON SURFACE SCIENCE(ecoss33), Szeged, Hungary, Aug.27-Sep.1 (2017).

(5) Mona Ibrahim Araby, Riteshkumar Vishwakarma, Subash Sharma, Yuji Wakamatsu, Kazunari Takahashi, Golap Kalita, Mohamad Saufi Rosmi, Yazid Yaakob, Mohd Zamri Mohd Yusop, Masashi Kitazawa, Masaki Tanemura, The 9th International Conference on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology 2018 (NANO-SciTech 2018), Shah Alam,Malaysia, Feb. 26 – March. 1 (2018).

6. Patent

N/A.