Anomalous electrokinetic dispersion of carbon nanotube clusters in liquid crystal under electric field.
An anomalous electrokinetic dispersion after contraction of carbon nanotube (CNT) cluster suspended in a vertically aligned nematic liquid crystal (LC) cell is demonstrated. CNT aggregates were firstly aligned toward the field line by dielectrophoretic (DEP) torque and secondly they were elongated above a certain threshold field due to interaction between the induced dipole moment of CNTs and external ac electric field. Below a certain breakdown field, the original morphology of the CNT aggregates was restored after the removal of the field where the elongation was fully reversible. Above breakdown electric field, CNT aggregates were ruptured and fragmented into small pieces and consequently CNTs were well dispersed in LC medium.
Sureshkumar
Palanivelu
P
Polymer BIN Fusion Research Center, Department of Polymer Nano Science and Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Chonju, Chonbuk 561-756, Korea.
Srivastava
Anoop Kumar
AK
Jeong
Seok Jin
SJ
Kim
Miyoung
M
Jo
Eun Mi
EM
Lee
Seung Hee
SH
Lee
Young Hee
YH