Transplanting carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Current efforts of guided growth of carbon nanotubes alone cannot make large-scale and directed assembly of them. The nanopelleting concept overcomes this limitation by embedding carbon nanotubes in microscale pellets that can be transplanted readily. This technique includes vertical growth of carbon nanotubes, pellet casting, planarization, pellet separation, and transplantation. A specific manufacturing process is developed and tested with favorable results. This technology will enable directed assembly of carbon nanotubes in a long-range order. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.