Alignment and micropatterning of carbon nanotubes in polymer composites using modulated magnetic field

A facile method of simultaneous alignment and micropatterning of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) is presented. The method uses the combination of the magnetic alignment and patterning techniques. Due to their diamagnetic nature, MWCNTs suspended in a liquid medium are trapped at the minima of the magnetic field created by a field modulator and at the same time they align due to their magnetic anisotropy. The achieved patterning and alignment is fixed by solidification of the matrix. The alignments both parallel and perpendicular to the film surface have been achieved.