Aligned carbon nanotube stacks by water-assisted selective etching.
Well-aligned, high-purity carbon nanotube (CNT) stacks of up to 10 layers fabricated in one batch process have been formed by water-assisted selective etching of carbon atoms. Etching takes place at the CNT caps as well as at the interface between CNTs and metal catalyst particles. This simple process generates high-purity CNTs and opens the CNT ends by removing the nanotube caps. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy indicates that the process does not damage CNT wall structures. A mechanism for stacked growth of CNT layers is proposed.
Zhu
Lingbo
L
School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
Xiu
Yonghao
Y
Hess
Dennis W
DW
Wong
Ching-Ping
CP
D016880:Anisotropy; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D014867:Water