130Chinese Journal of Synthetic ChemistryVol.12 Supplement 2004Synthesis of carbon nanotubes by catalytic pyrolysis method withFeitknecht compound as precursor of NiZnAl catalystYan Xiaoqit*, Liu Quanrun ", Zhang Songlin , Zhang Kun , Chen Jiuling ', Li Yongdan'a. College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China;b. School of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaAbstract: Carbon nanotubes are synthesized by catalytic pyrolysis method with a kind of new typecatalyst-- nickel-zinc-alumina catalyst prepared from Feitknecht compound. Tubular carbonnanotubes, bamboo-shaped carbon naotubes, herringbone carbon nanotubues and branched carbonnanotubes are all found formed at moderate temperature. It is important for the formation ofquasi-liquid state of the metal nanoparticles at the tip of carbon naotubes during the growth ofcarbon nanotubes to lead to different kinds of carbon nanotubes. It is likely that the addition of zincmake the activity of nickel catalyst after calcinations and reduction changed strangely.Keywords: carbon nanotubes; Feitknecht compound; nickel-zinc -alumina catalyst; catalyticpyrolysis method中國煤化工MYHCNMHG