Thanks to Rick Slocum for his camera equipment and his assistance with optical imaging of CNT growth on the heated platform. This work was funded by NSF Grant DMI-0521985, and by an Ignition Grant from the MIT Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation. A.J.H. is grateful for a Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Fellowship. Thanks to Y. M. Chiang of the MIT DMSE for sharing his laboratory space, where we established our CNT growth apparatus for this work.
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Communication
Desktop Growth of Carbon-Nanotube Monoliths with In Situ Optical Imaging†
Article first published online: 5 APR 2007
DOI: 10.1002/smll.200600716
Copyright © 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Additional Information
How to Cite
Hart, A., van Laake, L. and Slocum, A. (2007), Desktop Growth of Carbon-Nanotube Monoliths with In Situ Optical Imaging. Small, 3: 772–777. doi: 10.1002/smll.200600716
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Publication History
- Issue published online: 26 APR 2007
- Article first published online: 5 APR 2007
- Manuscript Received: 19 DEC 2006
Keywords:
- alignment;
- carbon nanotubes;
- chemical vapor deposition;
- diffusion;
- monoliths
Graphical Abstract
Fruits of the forest: A desktop reactor rapidly grows forests of aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to heights of many millimeters by atmospheric-pressure chemical vapor deposition (see picture). This low-cost apparatus achieves the reaction temperature by resistive heating of a suspended silicon platform, and achieves a 20-fold increase in CNT growth rate by thermal pretreatment of the reactant mixture. The film thickness is monitored in situ.