Carbon nanotubes by the metallocene route

Pyrolysis of metallocenes such as ferrocene, cobaltocene and nickelocene, is shown to yield carbon nanotubes and metal-filled onion-like structures. Pyrolysis of benzene in the presence of a metallocene gives high yields of nanotubes, the wall thickness of the nanotubes depending on the metallocene content. Pyrolysis of benzene in the absence of any metal however gives monodispersed nanospheres of carbon rather than nanotubes.