Stainless steel 316, 400 series mesh (25lm grid bar, 3.5 by
6cm
2
sample size; cleaned in acetone) is used as the catalyst
and support material for CNT growth. The substrate is first
placed within a tubular CVD furnace, under argon (Ar at
592 ± 5 sccm), and heated to 700C. An acetylene/argon
(C2H2/Ar) mix is then injected into the furnace for a given period of time at various C2H2flowrates. The range of flowrates
used along with the various injection durations used for each
particular acetylene flowrate is given inTabl e 1. For identification purposes each flowrate is given a coded letter. That letter
combined with the injection duration in minutes (ex. A-4 for
22.5 sccm C2H2 during 4 min followingTabl e 1) is used as
shorthand to represent the conditions used in each specific
set of trials. The Ar flow is the same for all growth conditions
and is maintained at 592 sccm throughout the entire process.
Unless otherwise specified the carbon injection was followed
by an isothermal growth period of 30 min at 700C, after
which the system is cooled down to room temperature. Further details of the CVD setup can be found in Hordy et al.[13]