Self-organization of novel carbon composite structure: Graphene multi-layers combined perpendicularly with aligned carbon nanotubes

A novel carbon composite structure consisiting of graphene multi-layers and aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) has been discovered. The composite structure, which was synthesized by chemical vapor deposition, has graphene multi-layers combined with the upper ends of vertically aligned MWNTs on a substrate. This microscopically-combined structure has been confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The substrate with the new structure looks gray and shiny, which is completely different from the appearance of a substrate with the usual vertically-aligned MWNTs. The new composite structure is expected to have excellent electrical and thermal properties, and therefore is likely to find many applications in electronics. (C) 2008 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.