Abstract
The common methods of producing carbon nanotubes are pyrolysis of hydrocarbons, arc discharge of graphite, chemical vapor deposition and laser ablation of graphite. The various ways stated above all require a vacuum chamber, and therefore, the cost for experiments is presumedly higher and the process much complicated. We use a Tesla coil for our experiments at atmosphere instead of a vacuum chamber. Comparing with many different ways and conditions, we successfully pulled off a experiment by way of dropping some ferrocene toluene solution on a small slice of aluminum and arcing it about twenty seconds. We find carbon nanotubes under the scanning electron microscope, only that the production is relatively small. Though a lot of discussions and improvements, we drop some ferrocene toluene solution on a small slice of zinc and arc it by a pencil lead about twenty seconds in argon atmosphere. We also find carbon nanotubes under the scanning electron microscope. Through Raman spectrum, mass spectrum and high resolution transmission electron microscope, we can explain the growth mechanism of carbon nanotubes and our poor producing.