Preparation of graphitic carbon nanofibers with the use of water-soluble supports.

Graphitic carbon nanofibers (GCNFs) are prepared from CO/H2 with a nickel-rich Fe-Ni (2:8) growth catalyst supported on three different water-soluble supports (Na4SiO4, Na2SiO3, and Na2CO3). GCNF products are formed with yield and crystallinity comparable to those of GCNF product produced with the same growth catalyst supported on fumed silica. Separation of GCNF product from the solid support is accomplished by aqueous dissolution of the support. This synthetic method extends the convenient isolation of GCNFs formed with supported growth catalysts to a wide variety of potential solid supports.