Thermally switchable one- and two-dimensional arrays of single-walled carbon nanotubes in a polymeric system.
Fabrication of highly ordered arrays of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has been of great interest for a wide range of potential applications. Here, we report thermally switchable one- and two-dimensional arrays of individually isolated SWNTs formed by cooperative self-assembly of functionalized SWNTs and a block copolymer/water system. Small-angle X-ray scattering measurements reveal that when the block copolymer/water system is in an isotropic phase, two-dimensional hexagonal arrays of SWNTs are formed by depletion attraction, and when the block copolymer/water system is in a lamellar phase, one-dimensional lattices of SWNTs intercalated in the polar regions of the polymeric lamellar structure are formed by entropically driven segregation and two-dimensional depletion attraction. These two SWNT arrays are thermally interchangeable, following the temperature-dependent phase behavior of the block copolymer/water system.
Doe
Changwoo
C
Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Jang
Hyung-Sik
HS
Kim
Tae-Hwan
TH
Kline
Steven R
SR
Choi
Sung-Min
SM
D008958:Models, Molecular; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D011409:Propylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature
D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; C116176:PEO-PPO-PEO; D011409:Propylene Glycols; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols