Control of nitrogen insertion during the growth of nitrogen-containing carbon nanofibers on cordierite monolith walls.

A well attached coating of nitrogen-functionalised carbon nanofibers (N-CNFs) has been prepared on the walls of cordierite monolith channels. It is formed via concurrent decomposition of ethane and ammonia catalysed by nickel nanoparticles dispersed on alumina coated cordierite monolith. N-CNF/monoliths synthesis employing several growth temperatures and NH(3) compositions was exhaustively characterised by Raman, XPS, elemental analysis and TEM. Synthesis conditions affected profoundly content and type of nitrogen functionality, enabling its fine tuning. N-CNFs surface chemistry and microstructure differed remarkably from its N-free counterparts.