title: Alignment of carbon nanotubes under low magnetic fields through attachment of magnetic nanoparticles.
abstract: The alignment of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) has been accomplished through deposition of uniform layers of magnetite/maghemite nanoparticles (diameter = 6-10 nm) and use of an external magnetic field. The coating of CNTs with magnetic nanoparticles was performed by combining the polymer wrapping and layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly techniques. The particle-coated MWNTs are superparamagnetic and can be aligned at room temperature on any substrate by deposition from an aqueous solution in an external field B = 0.2 T. The volume magnetization of the particle coated MWNTs is found to be enhanced by 17% compared to the pure particles in a powder indicating that either the adsorption process onto the CNTs changes the particle magnetization, or the MWNTs carry an intrinsic magnetization due to remaining Ni used as a catalyst for the growth process.
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Correa-Duarte
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grzelczak
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salgueiriño-Maceira
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giersig
authors.forename: Luis M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Liz-Marzan
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farle
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sierazdki
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Diaz