Aligning and Reorienting Carbon Nanotubes with Nematic Liquid Crystals

作者：Ingo Dierking, Giusy Scalia, Piero Morales, Darren J. LeClere · 发表于：Advanced Materials · 年份：2004 · DOI：10.1002/adma.200306196 · 被引用次数：349 · 研究领域：Liquid Crystal Research Advancements、Advanced Materials and Mechanics、Micro and Nano Robotics

Exploiting the self‐assembling properties of liquid crystals, large‐scale spontaneous alignment of single‐ and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes induced by elastic interactions with the nematic LC matrix is demonstrated (see Figure). Collective reorientation processes of the liquid crystal are further used to reversibly manipulate the alignment direction of the dispersed nanotubes, as evidenced by conductivity measurements.