COLD FUSION OF SILICON CARBIDE IN SiO2-CNT COLLOIDAL NANOSYSTEM

Abstract

Mechanisms and conditions of the formation of self-organized structures in colloid nanosystem
aerosil — carbon nanotubes (SiO2-CNT) were studied using numerical and natural experiments.
Within the framework of cap/body CNT model we identified two mechanism of interaction of CNT
with SiO2: covalent and Van-der-Waals. Covalent interactions resulted in the formation of self-organized
stem structures with diameter 250—300 nm and length ~4 μm; van-der-Waals interactions
resulted in the formation of spherical agregates with the diameter ~2 μm. X-ray diffraction analysis
of the obtained nanostructures revealed formation of the silicon carbide phase at room temperature.