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Versatile transfer of aligned carbon nanotubes with polydimethylsiloxane as the intermediate

Yanwu Zhu1,2, Xiaodai Lim1, Mong Chea Sim1, Chwee Teck Lim2,3 and Chorng Haur Sow1,2

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A simple technique to transfer aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) is demonstrated in this work. With polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as the transfer medium, as-grown or patterned MWCNT arrays are directly transferred onto a wide variety of Pt-coated substrates such as glossy paper, cloth, polymers, glass slides, and metal foils at low temperatures. The surface of the transferred CNTs is cleaner with better alignment, compared with the as-grown one. Furthermore, the transferred CNTs show strong adhesion and good electric contact with the target substrates. A maximal current density of ~104 A cm−2 has been achieved from the CNT interconnects prepared with this technique. Because of the lower density and open-ended structures, improved field emission performance has been obtained from CNTs transferred on polymers, based on which flexible emitter devices can be fabricated. In addition, the surface of transferred CNTs becomes more hydrophilic, with an averaged contact angle of 93.4 ± 5.8°, in contrast to the super-hydrophobic as-grown CNT surface (contact angle 151.6 ± 5.5°). With versatile properties and flexible applications, the technique provides a simple and cost-effective way towards future nanodevices based on CNTs.


PACS

81.16.-c Methods of nanofabrication and processing

61.46.Fg Nanotubes

79.70.+q Field emission, ionization, evaporation, and desorption

73.63.Rt Nanoscale contacts

81.07.De Nanotubes

68.35.Np Adhesion

Subjects

Condensed matter: electrical, magnetic and optical

Surfaces, interfaces and thin films

Nanoscale science and low-D systems

Dates

Issue 32 (13 August 2008)

Received 18 April 2008, in final form 30 May 2008

Published 2 July 2008



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