3D Carbon Nanotubes Structures for Advanced Functional Materials 

Michael De Volder

1University of Cambridge, Department of Engineering, IfM.

mfld2@cam.ac.uk / 17 Charles Babbage Rd, CB3 0FS, Cambridge, UK

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been investigated intensively during the past two decades because of their excellent electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties [1]. However, these properties are only valid for individual CNTs, whereas most advanced functional materials require the assembly of tens to millions of these nanoparticles into one structure. Unfortunately, the properties of such CNT aggregates are often disappointing compared to the constituent nanoparticles. In order to leverage the full potential of CNTs for advanced material applications, it is key to control the nanotube arrangement at both the micro and nanoscale [2].

In this seminar, I will present new methods for arranging nanotubes with unprecedented control over their microscale arrangement using top-down lithographic techniques combined with bottom up self-assembly. More precisely, we found a method to induce local changes in CNT synthesis rates, which allows to shape the nanotubes into bending pillars, helices, trusses and other complex structures in high throughput. Further, all nanotubes are aligned within each structure, and the surface chemistry of the structures can be tailored to the requirements of the application. We will discuss how these structures can be used to fabricate smart surfaces with anisotropic properties as well as for structural mechanic and energy storage applications [3].

Keywords: Carbon Nanotubes, Nano and mesostructured materials, NEMS

[1] M De Volder, S Tawfick, R Baughman, A Hart, Carbon nanotubes: present and future commercial applications, Science 339 (6119), 535-539, 2013
[2] M De Volder, S Park, S Tawfick, A Hart, Strain-engineered manufacturing of freeform carbon nanotube microstructures, Nature Communications 5, 2014
[3] S Ahmad, D Copic, C George, M De Volder, Hierarchical Assemblies of Carbon Nanotubes for Ultraflexible Li‐Ion Batteries, Advanced Materials, 2016