Templated Synthesis Of Carbon Nanotubes Through Bergman Cyclization In Confined Mesoporous Silica Channels

In this work, a bottom-up synthesis of carbon nanotube arrays was developed through Bergman cyclization of enediyne containing compounds immobilized inside of SBA-15 nano-channels and followed by pyrolysis. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the occurrence of thermal Bergman cyclization inside the channels. Further heating under elevated temperature produced nanotube arrays in good yield. TEM images revealed the formation of nanotube arrays due to the micro-tunnels of template. Raman spectra showed moderate degree of graphitization. Formation of enediyne self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on a template followed by the processing sequence developed in this work is promising to construct carbon materials with various nanoscopic morphology, such as carbon nanotube, graphene and buckyball.