Application of Taguchi Method in the Optimization of ARC- Carbon Nanotubes Fabrication

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), generated by rolling a layer of graphite into a seamless and hollow cylinder, can be divided into multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) based on the numbers of carbon atom layers of the wall of the nanotubes. Since its discovery in 1991, CNTs have been the subject of numerous investigations in chemical, physical and materials areas due to their novel structural, mechanical, electronic, and chemical properties. The CNTs can be produced by different processes, such as arc-discharge, chemical vapor deposition (CV D) and laser ablation. In this study we synthesized CNTs by liquid arc discharge method along with a purification stage then a statistical design of experiments (DOE), Taguchi method (Qualitek4) was implemented to optimize experimental condition of this study. Voltage, current, catalyst and plasma were considered as process parameters to be optimized. As the result of taguchi analysis in this study, Voltage, current, catalyst were the most influencing parameters on the yield product of carbon Nanotubes. The maximum yield product of CNTs were obtained at 25v voltage, LiCI as a salt in solution, Ni/Mo as a catalyst and the ½ as a catalyst ratio (~6.89 mgr purred CNTs).

کلیدواژه ها:

Carbon nanotube ، liquid arc discharge ، synthesis ، optimization ، Taguchi method 1. INTRODUCTION