A New Method of Carbon-Nanotube Patterning Using Reduction Potentials

Noble metals promote the oxidation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) at the relatively low temperature of 350 degrees C. The reduction potential of multiwalled CNTs is located between those of W and Ni, while that of single-walled CNTs is between those of Ni and In. Nanometer-sized patterns on CNT films were successfully fabricated using differences in reduction potential between the CNTs and noble metals.