Abstract
Horizontally aligned and densely packed multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized in an open air, without the need for a controlled atmosphere, using a rotating cathode arc discharge method with the help of a metal scraper. The physical force exerted by the scraper results in in-situ alignment of MWCNTs along the direction of scrape marks. This strategy, which enables the alignment of nanotubes in a controlled fashion to any length and direction of interest, was examined to determine the force required to align a nanotube. A model is developed to understand the alignment process. Using the nanoscratch technique to mimic this strategy, and incorporating the data obtained from the nanoscratch technique into the model developed, the minimum force required to align a MWCNT, as well as the energy required to align a gram of nanotubes, has been estimated. The method demonstrated represents an economical approach for large-scale synthesis of aligned MWCNTs at low costs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Iijima S 1991 Nature 354 56
Joshi R, Engstler J, Nair P K, Haridoss P and Schneider J J 2008 Diam. Relat. Mater. 17 913
Cheng H M, Li F, Su G, Pan H Y, He L L, Sun X and Dresselhaus M S 1998 Appl. Phys. Lett. 72 3282
Thess A, Lee R, Nikolaev P, Dai H, Petit P, Robert J, Xu C, Lee Y H, Kim S G, Rinzler A G, Colbert D T, Scuseria G E, Tománek D, Fischer J E and Smalley R E 1996 Science 273 483
Iijima S and Ichihashi T 1993 Nature 363 603
Ando Y, Zhao X, Inoue S and Iijima S 2002 J. Cryst. Growth 237–239 1926
Hong S and Myung S 2007 Nature 2 207
Choi W B, Bae E, Kang D, Chae S, Cheong B H, Ko J H, Lee E and Park W 2004 Nanotechnology 15 S512
Ajayan P M, Stephan O, Colliex C and Trauth D 1994 Science 265 1212
Ajayan P M 1995 Adv. Mater. 7 489
Jin L, Bower C and Zhou O 1998 Appl. Phys. Lett. 73 1197
Lee C J, Kim D W, Lee T J, Choi Y C, Park Y S, Lee Y H, Choi W B, Lee N S, Park G S and Kim J M 1999 Chem. Phys. Lett. 312 461
Lu J, Miao J, Xu T, Yan B, Yu T and Shen Z 2011 Nanotechnology 22 265614
Orofeo C M, Ago H, Ikuta T, Takahasi K and Tsuji M 2010 Nanoscale 2 1708
Hedberg J, Dong L and Jiao J 2005 Appl. Phys. Lett. 86 1
Correa-Duarte M A, Grzelczak M, Salgueiriño-Maceira V, Giersig M, Liz-Marzán L M, Farle M, Sierazdki K and Diaz R 2005 J. Phys. Chem. B 109 19060
Joseph B A, Ramakrishnan S, Jain G and Haridoss P 2013 Carbon 55 185
Lu L and Chen W 2010, ACS Nano 4 1042
Harris P J F 2007 Carbon 45 229
Gamaly E G and Ebbesen T W 1995 Phys. Rev. B 52 2083
Hiura H, Ebbesen T W, Tanigaki K and Takahashi H 1993 Chem. Phys. Lett. 202 509
Dresselhaus M S, Dresselhaus G, Saito R and Jorio A 2005 Phys. Rep. 409 47
Reznik D, Olk C H, Neumann D A and Copley J R D 1995 Phys. Rev. B 52 116
Kiang C H, Endo M, Ajayan P M, Dresselhaus G and Dresselhaus M S 1998 Phys. Rev. Lett. 81 1869
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
BERKMANS, A.J., JAGANNATHAM, M. & HARIDOSS, P. Nanoscratch technique for aligning multiwalled carbon nanotubes synthesized by the arc discharge method in open air. Bull Mater Sci 38, 875–886 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12034-015-0948-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12034-015-0948-2