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Updated: Jul 3, 2026
Fabrication, Densification, and Replica Molding of 3D Carbon Nanotube Microstructures
Published on: July 2, 2012
Macroscopic fibers of well-aligned carbon nanotubes by wet spinning
Shanju Zhang1, Krzysztof K K Koziol, Ian A Kinloch
1Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB23QZ, UK.
Abstract:
A simple process to spin fibers consisting of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) directly from their lyotropic liquid-crystalline phase is reported. Ethylene glycol is used as the lyotropic solvent, enabling a wider range of CNT types to be spun than previously. Fibers spun with CNTs and nitrogen-doped CNTs are compared. X-ray analysis reveals that nitrogen-doped CNTs have a misalignment of only +/-7.8 degrees to the fiber axis. The tensile strength of the CNT and nitrogen-doped CNT fibers is comparable but the modulus and electrical conductivity of the are lower. The electrical conductivity of both types of CNT fibers is found to be highly anisotropic. The results are discussed in context of the microstructure of the CNTs and fibers.
