Cervini Raoul, Simon George P, Ginic-Markovic Milena, Matisons Janis G, Huynh Chi, Hawkins Stephen
Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University, Clayton VIC 3800, Australia.
Nanotechnology. 2008 Apr 30;19(17):175602. doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/19/17/175602. Epub 2008 Mar 25.
We report on a method to preferentially align multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in a liquid crystalline matrix to form stable composite thin films. The liquid crystalline monomeric chains can be crosslinked to form acrylate bridges, thereby retaining the nanotube alignment. Further post-treatment by ozone etching of the composite films leads to an increase in bulk conductivity, leading to higher emission currents when examined under conducting scanning probe microscopy. The described methodology may facilitate device manufacture where electron emission from nanosized tips is important in the creation of new display devices.
