Multicomponent Micropatterns or Carbon Nanotubes

The excellent optoelectronic, mechanical, and thermal properties of carbon nanotubes have made them very attractive for a wide range of potential applications. However, many applications require the growth of aligned/micropatterned carbon nanotubes. Based on our previous work on the aligned and micropatterned growth of carbon nanotubes, we have recently developed a novel approach towards the micropattern construction of perpendicularly-aligned carbon nanotubes by simply pressing a Scotch tape pre-patterned with a non-adhesive layer onto a non-patterned aligned carbon nanotube film, followed by peeling off the Scotch tape from the quartz substrate in a dry state. In conjunction with the region-specific surface modification, this dry contact transfer method has enabled us to produce various multicomponent carbon nanotube micropatterns in which different components are interposed in an intimate fashion. Examples include micropatterns with self-assembled non-aligned carbon nanotubes interdispersed into the discrete areas in the patterned structure of aligned carbon nanotubes and flexible polymer films with embedded aligned carbon nanotube networks. More recently, we have also developed a simple but effective template-free electroplating method for region-selective deposition of cobalt and nickel nanoparticles for patterned growth of carbon nanotubes. These carbon nanotube micropatterns in which multicomponents are interposed in a controllable fashion should be of significance to many nanotube based multifunctional systems.