Exploring the alignment of carbon nanotubes dispersed in a liquid crystal matrix using coplanar electrodes

Volpati, D.; Massey, M.K.; Johnson, D.W.; Kotsialos, A.; Qaiser, F.; Pearson, C.; Coleman, K.S.; Tiburzi, G.; Zeze, D.A.; Petty, M.C.

Abstract

We report on the use of a liquid crystalline host medium to align single-walled carbon nanotubes in an electric field using an in-plane electrode configuration. Electron microscopy reveals that the nanotubes orient in the field with a resulting increase in the DC conductivity in the field direction. Current versus voltage measurements on the composite show a nonlinear behavior, which was modelled by using single-carrier space-charge injection. The possibility of manipulating the conductivity pathways in the same sample by applying the electrical field in different (in-plane) directions has also been demonstrated. Raman spectroscopy indicates that there is an interaction between the nanotubes and the host liquid crystal molecules that goes beyond that of simple physical mixing.

Citation

Volpati, D., Massey, M., Johnson, D., Kotsialos, A., Qaiser, F., Pearson, C., …Petty, M. (2015). Exploring the alignment of carbon nanotubes dispersed in a liquid crystal matrix using coplanar electrodes. Journal of Applied Physics, 117(12), Article 125303. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4916080

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 28, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Mar 24, 2015
• Publication Date: Mar 28, 2015
• Deposit Date: Apr 17, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 22, 2015
• Journal: Journal of Applied Physics
• Print ISSN: 0021-8979
• Electronic ISSN: 1089-7550
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 117
• Issue: 12
• Article Number: 125303
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4916080
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1410012