Macroscopic assemblies of magnetically aligned carbon nanotubes

Abstract

This work reports the successful production of macroscopic assemblies of aligned single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) via filtration in a magnetic field of 25 Tesla. Such assemblies allow an unprecedented capability to characterize and manipulate aligned nanotubes. Surface areas in excess of 100 cm 2 and thicknesses in excess of seven microns thick were produced. A density within a factor of two of close packing was achieved. These assemblies exhibit anisotropy in reflection of polarized light, Raman resonance, electrical transport, and thermal transport. This provides a macroscopic window to exploring the properties of SWNTs and paves the way for many potential applications. This thesis also describes experiments using a combination of electrical and chemical methods, including DC electric fields, amine-derivatization of gold, and thiol-derivatization of SWNTs. These latter experiments preceded the filtration work and provided an essential basis for conceptualizing the successful filtration approach