Substitution reactions of carbon nanotube template

Substitution reactions between carbon nanotube (CNT) template and SiO with the formation of carbon rich silicon oxide nanowires (SiO–C-NWs) have been investigated using transmission electron microscopy and x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. The reaction was carried out by thermal annealing at $1200°C$ for $1h$ of a mixture of silicon monoxide (SiO) and iron (II) phthalocyanine, $FeC32N8H16$ (FePc) powders. Multiwalled CNTs were produced first via pyrolysis of FePc at a lower temperature $(1000°C)$⁠. SiO vapors reacted with the CNTs at higher temperatures to produce amorphous SiO–C-NWs with a uniform diameter and a length in tens of micrometers. The special bamboolike structure of the CNTs allows the reaction to start from the external surface of the tubes and transform each CNT into a solid nanowire section by section.