Abstract Submitted to the    NANOTUBE'04 Conference:

Carbon nanotubes have attracted much attention due to their unique structure and electronic properties, but many of their advantages cannot be realized in applications because of their short length and other handling issues. Intensive research on their synthesis has been done via arc-discharge, laser ablation, and catalytic chemical vapour deposition, and it is found that early encapsulation of catalyst by graphite is the main reason for growth termination. In this study we report a simple chemical-vapour-deposition method to grow long carbon nanotubes. Long carbon nanotubes were successfully grown on a substrate. Atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were performed, indicating that resulted carbon nanotubes are single walled with a diameter range of 1nm~2.25nm. The evolution of surface morphology according to growth conditions was also studied using scanning electronic microscopy, and possible growth mechanism will be discussed. Success of long carbon nanotubes will revolutionize many advanced technologies. For example, they can be used to make fibers more than an order of magnitude stronger than any current engineering fibers, scaffolding for neuronal growth, neuronal and other medical implants, conducting coils in micro electric motors, and nano optical and electronic cables.