Aligning and Reorienting Carbon Nanotubes with Nematic Liquid Crystals

Abstract

Exploiting the self‐assembling properties of liquid crystals , large‐scale spontaneous alignment of single‐ and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes induced by elastic interactions with the nematic LC matrix is demonstrated (see Figure). Collective reorientation processes of the liquid crystal are further used to reversibly manipulate the alignment direction of the dispersed nanotubes, as evidenced by conductivity measurements.