Formation of a Lyotropic Liquid Crystal Phase in a Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Aqueous Ink with Low-molecular-weight Electrolyte

Abstract

Methods to fabricate networks of in-plane aligned single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have tremendous potential for improving the properties of various microelectronic devices, including electrodes, transistors, and capacitors. Here, we investigate an SWCNT ink treated with a low-molecular-weight electrolyte, producing a lyotropic liquid crystal (LC) phase in aqueous media. The order parameter and dichroic ratio of the ink were measured by polarized UV–vis–NIR absorption spectra. Well-aligned SWCNT films were obtained by applying mechanical shearing, which was confirmed by polarized optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and polarized UV–vis–NIR absorption spectroscopy.