Abstract

AbstractWe demonstrate that single‐wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can be macroscopically aligned by means of templating in a lyotropic nematic liquid crystal (LC), a self‐assembling anisotropic fluid with orientational but no translational order. The CNTs spontaneously adopt the alignment of the host, as we verify by means of resonant Raman spectroscopy. The aqueous LC host, based on the surfactant SDS, simultaneously keeps the nanotubes well dispersed over time scales of months or longer. The LC can be loaded with CNTs to almost the same extent as the standard isotropic 1% surfactant solutions normally used for dispersing CNTs without any optically visible bundling occurring. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call