Copper-philic carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Carbon nanotube is having poor wet-ability with copper metal. Wet-ability of carbon nanotube was improved by exposing and creating more active sites on the surface of carbon nanotube. Carbon nanotubes were subjected to the prolong ultrasonication treatment of 20×103 Hz and 500W, which helped in disentanglement of carbon nanotube agglomerates and in breaking the weak bonds like pentagonal or heptagonal structure on the surface and on the CNT cap. Disentanglement of the carbon nanotube, resulted in exposing the defective sites on the surface and breaking of weak bonds, which assisted in creating the new defects on the surface. This process results in generates more active sites on the surface and it helps in improving the wet-ability of the carbon nanotube in copper.