Synthesis of multiwalled carbon nanotubes through a modified Wolff-Kishner reduction process

We report the synthesis of highly crystallized multiwalled carbon nanotubes through a modified Wolff-Kishner reduction process at a low temperature of 180 °C without adding the conventional catalysts of Fe/Co/Ni into the reaction vessel. The as-synthesized carbon nanotubes are about 10-40 nm in diameter and several tens of micrometers in length. The experimental results indicate that a high concentration of NaOH is essential to the formation of carbon nanotubes. This technique opens a new route for the synthesis of CNTs and other carbon nanostructured materials.