Preparation and characterization of iron-encapsulating carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles

Iron-filled carbon nanostructures have been synthesized via a simple catalytic process, using Fe(CO)(5) as the source of both iron and carbon. The iron-containing materials can be separated from the products using a permanent magnet. The nanotubes have dimensions of several hundred nanometers in length and 10-20 nm in width. The fabrication of cup-like and centipede-like carbon nanostructures is reported for the first time. In addition, some large fractured carbon cages with an average diameter of 200 nm were also observed in the products. XRD measurements revealed that the encapsulated iron nanoparticles had a bcc structure. The magnetic properties of the products were evaluated by conducting dc magnetic measurements. XPS and TGA were also employed to characterize the products.