Abstract Submitted to the NANOTUBE'02 Workshop:

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes and carbonaceous particles were synthesized by catalytic thermal decomposition of CH4 on catalyst LaNi5 powder. Products obtained at reaction temperatures 500~800C were characterized by means of HRTEM, SEM and Raman Scattering. The abundance ratio of well-crystallized graphite to amorphous carbon in each product increases with increasing reaction temperatures. In addition, electrochemical charge-discharge cycling method was carried out at room temperature to measure the hydrogen storage capacity in pressed electrodes containing mixture of catalyst, muti-walled carbon nanotubes and carbonaceous particles. Results also showed that the hydrogen storage capacity of synthesis products increased with increased reaction temperatures. The hydrogen storage capacities in weight density are still relatively low considering the total mass of electrode. However, it could reach up to 15 wt.% for a specific sample produced at temperature 550C, ignoring the mass of catalyst. The results of hydrogen storage capacity measurement are discussed in terms of nanostructure and morphology of the synthesis products.