title: Gold nanoparticle mediated formation of aligned nanotube composite films.
abstract: We report on the formation of highly anisotropic nanotube composite materials, made by the attachment of gold nanoparticles to the surface of the single-walled carbon nanotubes, followed by preparation of an aligned composite film by compression in a Langmuir-Blodgett trough. The gold is attached in a one-step sonication procedure. The gold-modified nanotube material forms a stable suspension in toluene and has been characterized by atomic force and scanning force microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The aligned films have highly anisotropic electrical properties, with a factor of approximately 3000 difference in the conductivity between the aligned and perpendicular directions.
authors.affiliation: Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755-8000, USA.
authors.forename: Jingbiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Charles P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Daghlian
authors.forename: Ursula J
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Gibson