| A team from the USA have studied solvent-free, one-step functionalization of aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNTs) using initiated chemical vapor deposition. The vapor deposition process allowed excellent retention of the nanotube alignment and control of the porosity of the resultant MWNT nanostructure. In addition, the team from Oklahoma, Texas and Ohio transferred the functionalized MWNTs using a flip-over procedure which significantly enhanced the mechanical properties. The team report that the combination of surface functionality, nanotube alignment, controlled porosity, and enhanced mechanical robustness in the MWNT nanostructures may greatly impact the fabrication of carbon nanotube devices. |  |
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Solvent-free functionalization and transfer of aligned carbon nanotubes with vapor-deposited polymer nanocoatings
Yumin Ye, Yu Mao, Fang Wang, Hongbing Lu, Liangti Qu and Liming Dai
J. Mater. Chem., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C0JM02506B, Paper
| In this paper from Marc Sallé, David Amabilino and co-workers, the control of the morphology of nanostructures formed from a single component molecular material incorporating electron accepting and donating moieties is shown, from both solution and gel states. Xerogels of the component, multifunctional tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)–pyrene based organogelator were formed using different solvents. Doping of these xerogels with iodine vapour afforded conducting films whose characteristics were probed with current sensing atomic force microscopy, which showed how dramatically the processing solvent can influence the electronic properties of these xerogel-derived materials. |  |
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Varied nanostructures from a single multifunctional molecular material
David Canevet, Ángel Pérez del Pino, David B. Amabilino and Marc Sallé
J. Mater. Chem., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C0JM02302G, Paper
