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Substrate Patterning by Nanomachining for Controlled Carbon Nanotube Growth

Hou, Guangfeng
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1407410214

Abstract Details

2014, MS, University of Cincinnati, Engineering and Applied Science: Mechanical Engineering.
Controlled growth of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) with appropriate properties has been of great interest both to researchers and industries, due to their wide applications. Because of its simplicity and scalability, catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is the most commonly used method to grow CNTs. In the CVD synthesis of CNTs, the choice of catalyst is one of the most important factors. Numerous efforts have been made to control the growth of CNTs by fine-tuning the related catalysts. However, it remains a challenge to control the properties of CNTs and there remain many unsolved issues in achieving the desired performance of the catalyst. In this thesis, various novel methods have been studied to control the growth of CNTs by controlling catalyst on proper substrates. In this study, anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane has been tested to grow CNTs with the confinement of its nano pores. The experimental work reveals that the maximum diameter of CNTs grown from the pores is confined by the size of pores, providing upper limit for the diameter of grown CNTs. Electro discharge patterning (EDP) has been attempted for the first time to deposit catalyst for growth of CNTs. It has been found that the catalyst material could be transferred to substrate, yielding CNT forests. Combined with program design, it is capable of producing various forest patterns of CNTs. EDP is a new versatile and robust method of patterning catalysts. One potential application is patterning catalyst on metals, growing CNTs to form metal/CNTs composites. Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has been utilized for substrate patterning in order to control positioning of catalyst nano particles. This method provides the capability of positioning catalyst particles in nano scale. SPM nano manufacturing and capillary assembly have been combined to place catalyst nano particles in nano cavities and subsequent growth of CNTs. CNTs successfully grew from the catalysts confined in nano cavities, which could be used to fabricate CNTs based nano devices. In the CVD synthesis of CNTs, the catalyst-substrate interaction affects the growth of CNTs. Effort has been made to investigate the catalyst-substrate interaction, and to control the catalyst atomic diffusion into the substrate. An analytical model has been developed to explain the catalyst size change during the CVD process. The experimental results reveals that the catalyst interdiffusion into the substrate could be controlled by using designed catalyst structures, and the height of grown CNT arrays could be increased.
Sundaram Murali Meenakshi, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Mark Schulz, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Vesselin Shanov, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
77 p.
Engineering
CNT growth; Patterning; Catalyst Control

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hou, G. (2014). Substrate Patterning by Nanomachining for Controlled Carbon Nanotube Growth [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1407410214

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hou, Guangfeng. Substrate Patterning by Nanomachining for Controlled Carbon Nanotube Growth. 2014. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1407410214.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hou, Guangfeng. "Substrate Patterning by Nanomachining for Controlled Carbon Nanotube Growth." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1407410214

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1407410214
305
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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.