Scientists from Cherepovets State University (ChSU) have developed a new method for producing carbon nanotubes from alcohol. The technology allows for continuous production without expensive catalysts and multi-stage purification.
The method is based on a steam-water plasma torch. An electric arc heats the alcohol-water solution to ionization, alcohol vapors decompose into carbon atoms, which then condense into nanostructures. Ethanol, propanol, and benzene were used in the experiments. The composition of the solution directly influenced the type and size of particles: multi-walled nanotubes reached a diameter of 9–35 nanometers, single-walled ones — 2–4 nanometers, graphene flakes contained up to seven layers, and fullerene-like structures were obtained from benzene.
The main advantage is that the catalyst is formed directly during the synthesis process, which simplifies the technology and reduces costs. Unlike classical methods, the proposed method does not require stopping to replace electrodes and allows for continuous material production. The development can be applied in electronics, medicine, composites, supercapacitors, and targeted drug delivery. In the future, scientists plan to study the effect of oxygen and hydrogen in solutions and evaluate the yield of nanomaterial from different types of raw materials.