Fabrication of carbon nanoribbons from carbon nanotube arrays
AssigneesNortheastern University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsYung Joon Jung, Hyun Young Jung, Swastik Kar, Chi Won Ahn, Mildred Dresselhaus, Paulo Antonio Trindade Araujo
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Abstract
Inter-allotropic transformations of carbon are provided using moderate conditions including alternating voltage pulses and modest temperature elevation. By controlling the pulse magnitude, small-diameter single-walled carbon nanotubes are transformed into larger-diameter single-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes of different morphologies, and multi-layered graphene nanoribbons.
Claims17
A method for allotropic transformation of a carbon nanotube material, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a network of the carbon nanotube material, the network spanning a gap between two electrodes and in electrical contact with each of the two electrodes;
- (b) applying a voltage (Va) between the electrodes at a temperature above ambient temperature, wherein the voltage is less than the breakdown voltage (Vb) of the network of carbon nanotube material;
- (c) cyclically reversing the polarity of Va for a total of “n” voltage cycles, whereby at least a portion of the carbon nanotube material undergoes allotropic transformation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.