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Strong and Conductive Dry Carbon Nanotube Films by Microcombing
Author(s) -
Zhang Liwen,
Wang Xin,
Xu Weizong,
Zhang Yongyi,
Li Qingwen,
Bradford Philip D.,
Zhu Yuntian
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201500111
Subject(s) - carbon nanotube , materials science , waviness , buckypaper , composite material , modulus , ultimate tensile strength , nanotechnology , layer (electronics) , nanotube , electrical conductor
In order to maximize the carbon nanotube (CNT) buckypaper properties, it is critical to improve their alignment and reduce their waviness. In this paper, a novel approach, microcombing, is reported to fabricate aligned CNT films with a uniform structure. High level of nanotube alignment and straightness was achieved using sharp surgical blades with microsized features at the blade edges to comb single layer of CNT sheet. These microcombs also reduced structural defects within the film and enhanced the nanotube packing density. Following the microcombing approach, the as‐produced CNT films demonstrated a tensile strength of up to 3.2 GPa, Young's modulus of up to 172 GPa, and electrical conductivity of up to 1.8 × 10 5 S m −1 , which are much superior to previously reported CNT films or buckypapers. More importantly, this novel technique requires less rigorous process control and can construct CNT films with reproducible properties.