Characterization of a liquid crystal microlens array using multiwalled carbon nanotube electrodes.

Reconfigurable liquid crystal microlenses employing arrays of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) have been designed and fabricated. The cells consist of arrays of 2 microm high MWNTs grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on silicon with a top electrode of indium tin oxide coated glass positioned 20 microm above the silicon and the gap filled with the nematic liquid crystal BLO48. Simulations have found that, while its nematic liquid crystal aligns with MWNTs within a distance of 10nm, this distance is greatly enhanced by the application of an external electric field. Polarized light experiments show that light is focused with focal lengths ranging from approximately 7 microm to 12 microm.

The role of the catalytic particle in the growth of carbon nanotubes by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes were synthesized by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition using nickel as a metal catalyst. High resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis of the particle found at the tip of the tubes reveals the presence of a metastable carbide Ni3C. Since the carbide is found to decompose upon annealing at 600 degreesC, we suggest that Ni3C is formed after the growth is stopped due to the rapid cooling of the Ni-C interstitial solid solution. A detailed description of the tip growth mechanism is given, that accounts for the composite structure of the tube walls. The shape and size of the catalytic particle determine the concentration gradient that drives the diffusion of C atoms across and though the metal. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

Synthesis of carbon 'onions' in water.

The fabrication of carbon nanomaterials usually calls for expensive vacuum systems to generate plasmas and yields are disappointingly low. Here we describe a simple method for producing high-quality spherical carbon nano-'onions' in large quantities without the use of vacuum equipment. The nanoparticles, which have C60 cores surrounded by onion-like nested particles, are generated by an arc discharge between two graphite electrodes submerged in water. This technique is economical and environmentally benign, and produces uncontaminated nanoparticles which may be useful in many applications.

Polysiloxane surfactants for the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in nonpolar organic solvents.

We develop two new amphiphilic molecules that are shown to act as efficient surfactants for carbon nanotubes in nonpolar organic solvents. The active conjugated groups, which are highly attracted to the graphene nanotube surface, are based on pyrene and porphyrin. We show that relatively short (C18) carbon tails are insufficient to provide stabilization. As our ultimate aim is to disperse and stabilize nanotubes in siloxane matrix (polymer and cross-linked elastomer), both surfactant molecules were made with long siloxane tails to facilitate solubility and steric stabilization. We show that the pyrene-siloxane surfactant is very effective in dispersing multiwall nanotubes, while the porphyrin-siloxane makes single-wall nanotubes soluble, both in petroleum ether and in siloxane matrix.

Template-free electrochemical nanofabrication of polyaniline nanobrush and hybrid polyaniline with carbon nanohorns for supercapacitors.

Polyaniline (PANI) nanobrushes were synthesized by template-free electrochemical galvanostatic methods. When the same method was applied to the carbon nanohorn (CNH) solution containing aniline monomers, a hybrid nanostructure containing PANI and CNHs was enabled after electropolymerization. This is the first report on the template-free method to make PANI nanobrushes and homogeneous hybrid soft matter (PANI) with carbon nanoparticles. Raman spectroscopy was used to analyze the interaction between CNH and PANI. Electrochemical nanofabrication offers simplicity and good control when used to make electronic devices. Both of these materials were applied in supercapacitors and an improvement capacitive current by using the hybrid material was observed.