Patent ID: 7736616

Claim:
A method for growing a carbon nanotube comprising the steps of: a. providing a membrane having a feed side, a nanotube growth side, and a central region between the feed side and the growth side, wherein the feed side comprises a material capable of acting as a catalyst for decomposition of a carbon-containing gas, the nanotube growth side comprises a material capable of acting as a catalyst for nanotube growth, the central region does not comprise an anodic alumina membrane and the membrane is substantially impermeable to gas flow and permits diffusion of carbon from the material capable of acting as a decomposition catalyst on the feed side to the material acting as a nanotube growth catalyst on the growth side; b. providing a reaction gas comprising a carbon-containing gas at the feed side of the membrane and providing an atmosphere which does not contain substantial quantities of carbon-containing gas at the growth side of the membrane; c. decomposing the carbon-containing gas on the material capable as acting as a catalyst for decomposition of the gaseous carbon-containing material, thereby generating carbon; d. diffusing at least some of the carbon generated by decomposition of the carbon-containing gas through the membrane to the material capable of acting as a catalyst for nanotube growth; and e. growing a nanotube at the material capable of acting as a catalyst for nanotube growth.