Quasi-Langmuir-Blodgett Thin Film Deposition of Carbon Nanotubes

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel quasi-Langmuir-Blodgett technique for depositing pure carbon nanotube films over large areas, maintaining their microstructure and electronic properties, thus advancing nanotube application potential.

Contribution

It presents a new method for large-area nanotube film deposition that preserves the films' microstructure and electronic properties, addressing handling challenges.

Findings

The method allows large-area deposition of pure nanotube films.

Deposited films retain their microstructure and electronic properties.

The technique is compatible with substrates of arbitrary composition.

Abstract

The handling and manipulation of carbon nanotubes continues to be a challenge to those interested in the application potential of these promising materials. To this end, we have developed a method to deposit pure nanotube films over large flat areas on substrates of arbitrary composition. The method bears some resemblance to the Langmuir-Blodgett deposition method used to lay down thin organic layers. We show that this redeposition technique causes no major changes in the films' microstructure and that they retain the electronic properties of as-deposited film laid down on an alumina membrane.