title: Nickel Nanoparticles Entangled in Carbon Nanotubes: Novel Ink for Nanotube Printing.
abstract: We report the serendipitous discovery of a rapid and inexpensive method to attach nanoscale magnetic chaperones to carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Nickel nanoparticles (NiNPs) become entangled in CNTs after both are dispersed in kerosene by sonication and form conjugates. An externally applied magnetic field manipulates the resulting CNTs-NiNP ink without NiNP separation, allowing us to print an embedded circuit in an elastomeric matrix and fabricate a strain gage and an oil sensor. The new method to print a circuit in a soft material using an NiNP-CNT ink is more rapid and inexpensive than the complex physical and chemical means typically used to magnetize CNTs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering and ‡Department of Engineering Physics McMaster University , 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L7, Canada.
authors.forename: Abdel Rahman
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Abdel Fattah
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering and ‡Department of Engineering Physics McMaster University , 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L7, Canada.
authors.forename: Tahereh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Majdi
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering and ‡Department of Engineering Physics McMaster University , 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L7, Canada.
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abdalla
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering and ‡Department of Engineering Physics McMaster University , 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L7, Canada.
authors.forename: Suvojit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering and ‡Department of Engineering Physics McMaster University , 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L7, Canada.
authors.forename: Ishwar K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Puri
keywords: carbon nanotubes; magnetization; magnetophoresis; polymer nanocomposite; sensors