Processing of loose carbon nanotubes into isolated, high density submicron channels.
Loose multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were processed into a bundle of 19,600 individual channels with an individual channel diameter of 0.4 microm using a fiber drawing process. First, a powder of sodium silicate solution containing purified MWNTs was created. A glass capillary tube was filled with the powder and drawn into fibers. The fibers were cut into segments, bundled and redrawn multiple times to create fibers with multiple channels containing MWNTs. This processing approach created thousands of uniformly ordered channels containing dispersed MWNTs in a glass matrix while simultaneously aligning the MWNTs. The bulk resistivity of the MWNT-silicate channel has been improved by 38% after two consecutive draws as a result of the increased MWNT fraction.
Hendricks
Troy R
TR
Measurement Science and Systems Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA. hendrickstr@ornl.gov
Ivanov
Ilia N
IN
Schaeffer
Daniel A
DA
Menchhofer
Paul A
PA
Simpson
John T
JT