Keywords
carbon nanotubes, composite materials, tensile strength, alignment, microfabrication, etching, patterning
Abstract
Carbon nanotube (CNT)/polymer composite sheets can be extremely high strength and lightweight, which makes them attractive for fabrication of mechanical structures. This thesis demonstrates a method whereby smooth, thin CNT/polymer composite sheets can be fabricated and patterned on the microscale using a process of photolithography and plasma etching. CNT/polymer composites were made from CNTs grown using chemical vapor deposition using supported catalyst growth and floating catalyst growth. The composite sheets had a roughness of approximately 30nm and were about 61¼m or 261¼m depending on whether they were made from supported catalyst grown or floating catalyst grown CNTs. The composites were patterned using an oxygen plasma as the etchant and a hard mask of silicon nitride.
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Boyer, Nathan Edward, "Microfabrication with Smooth, Thin CNT/Polymer Composite Sheets" (2016). Student Works. 174.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/studentpub/174
Document Type
Peer-Reviewed Article
Publication Date
2016-06-01
Permanent URL
http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd8582
Language
english
College
Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Department
Physics and Astronomy
Copyright Status
2016-06
Copyright Use Information
I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, and specifically allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to Brigham Young University and its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation, or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report.