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US 10,873,026 B2Granted
Alignment of carbon nanotubes in confined channels
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorsMichael Scott Arnold, Katherine Rose Jinkins, Gerald Joseph Brady, Padma Gopalan
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Abstract
Methods for forming carbon nanotube arrays are provided. Also provided are the arrays formed by the methods and electronic devices that incorporate the array as active layers. The arrays are formed by flowing a fluid suspension of carbon nanotubes through a confined channel under conditions that create a velocity gradient across the flowing suspension.
Claims21
A method of forming a carbon nanotube array, the method comprising:
- creating a shear flow of a fluid suspension of organic material-coated carbon nanotubes through a flow channel, wherein the flow channel is defined by a deposition substrate comprising a first material and a confining wall comprising a second material, wherein a velocity gradient is formed across the flowing fluid suspension and further wherein the flowing fluid suspension passes over the deposition substrate and exits the flow channel;
- depositing organic material-coated carbon nanotubes from the fluid suspension onto the deposition substrate to form a film of carbon nanotubes on the deposition substrate, wherein:
- the deposited organic material-coated carbon nanotubes in the film are aligned along the direction of shear flow;
- the film is formed while the fluid suspension is flowing over the deposition substrate;
- and the organic material-coated carbon nanotubes are aligned and deposited on the deposition substrate without the use of an energized electrode pair.
2 more elements
A method of forming a carbon nanotube array, the method comprising:
- creating a shear flow of a fluid suspension of organic material-coated carbon nanotubes through a closed flow channel that is defined by a deposition substrate comprising a first material and a confining wall comprising a second material, wherein a velocity gradient is formed across the flowing fluid suspension;
- flowing a liquid that is immiscible with the fluid suspension through the closed flow channel along with the fluid suspension, wherein the fluid suspension and the liquid flow side-by-side and the organic material-coated carbon nanotubes are concentrated at the interface between the fluid suspension and the liquid, relative to their concentration in the bulk of the fluid suspension, and are aligned parallel with the interface;
- and
- depositing organic material-coated carbon nanotubes from the interface onto the deposition substrate, wherein the deposited organic material-coated carbon nanotubes are aligned along the direction of shear flow.
1 more element
A method of forming a carbon nanotube array, the method comprising:
- creating a shear flow of a fluid suspension of organic material-coated carbon nanotubes through a flow channel, wherein the flow channel is defined by:
- a deposition substrate comprising a first material;
- the confining wall comprising a second material, which is disposed opposite and facing the deposition substrate;
- and a floor comprising a layer of a liquid that is immiscible with the fluid suspension and is disposed between the deposition substrate and the confining wall, wherein a velocity gradient is formed across the flowing fluid suspension;
- and
- depositing organic material-coated carbon nanotubes from the fluid suspension onto the deposition substrate during the shear flow of the fluid suspension of the organic-material-coated nanotubes through the flow channel, wherein the deposited organic material-coated carbon nanotubes are aligned along the direction of shear flow.
3 more elements
A method of forming a carbon nanotube array, the method comprising:
- creating a shear flow of a fluid suspension of organic material-coated carbon nanotubes through a flow channel, wherein a velocity gradient is formed across the flowing fluid suspension, the flow channel being defined by a deposition substrate comprising a first material and a confining wall comprising a second material and having a channel width of at least 500 μm;
- and
- depositing organic material-coated carbon nanotubes from the fluid suspension onto the deposition substrate while the fluid suspension is flowing through the flow channel, wherein:
- the deposited organic material-coated carbon nanotubes in the film are aligned along the direction of shear flow;
- the film is formed while the fluid suspension is flowing over the deposition substrate;
- and the organic material-coated carbon nanotubes are aligned and deposited on the deposition substrate without the use of an energized electrode pair.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.