Since the raw CNTs prepared by the conventional methods are a mixture of CNT ropes, amorphous carbon particles, and catalysts metal-particles, purification of CNT by removing those impurities is essential if CNTs are to be used in sophisticated nano-devices. Also carbon nanotubes are less than 10 nm in thickness and only a few hundred nm in length and they easily form bundles or layered agglomerates upon drying. So, if a single CNT based nano-devices has to be fabricated then grow/separate a single tube is must.
See this review. & references within this paper:
doi:10.3390/ma3073818
This is a comprehensive review - but as you suggest, for nanoelectronics, an on chip selective growth method would be desirable
Stretch a bunch of tubes out until it parts and use the ones on the pointy ends?
@Vik, how does one selectively stretch a bunch and use the pointy ends??
If you take a "rope" of nanotubes and stretch it out, they slide against one another and the bundle gets thinner - like drawing out chewing gum. Eventually you'll end up with just one nanotube in the middle.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Chemistry
- Nanotechnology