Formation of carbon nanotubes from jet fuel on superalloys at moderate temperature and high pressure

The carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles in the carbonaceous deposit from heating of a jet fuel over superalloys below 773 K and 3.5 MPa were experimentally studied. Results show that the observations clearly indicate that ordered carbon structures formed at lower temperatures and much higher pressures than previously reported for highly energetic processes. It is also shown that the multi-shell nanotubes do not appear to contain any metal particles, as usually seen in the nanotubes from catalytic pyrolysis of hydrocarbons. These results add new information and pose new questions regarding the formation mechanism of ordered nanostructures.