Dielectrophoretic alignment of carbon nanotubes: theory, applications, and future

Abdullah Abdulhameed; Mohd Mahadi Halim; Izhal Abdul Halin

doi:10.1088/1361-6528/acc46c

Dielectrophoretic alignment of carbon nanotubes: theory, applications, and future

Nanotechnology. 2023 Mar 31;34(24). doi: 10.1088/1361-6528/acc46c.

Authors

Abdullah Abdulhameed¹, Mohd Mahadi Halim¹, Izhal Abdul Halin²

Affiliations

¹ School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Penang, Malaysia.
² Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, 43400, Malaysia.

PMID: 36921341
DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/acc46c

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are nominated to be the successor of several semiconductors and metals due to their unique physical and chemical properties. It has been concerning that the anisotropic and low controllability of CNTs impedes their adoption in commercial applications. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is known as the electrokinetics motion of polarizable nanoparticles under the influence of nonuniform electric fields. The uniqueness of this phenomenon allows DEP to be employed as a novel method to align, assemble, separate, and manipulate CNTs suspended in liquid mediums. This article begins with a brief overview of CNT structure and production, with the emphasize on their electrical properties and response to electric fields. The DEP phenomenon as a CNT alignment method is demonstrated and graphically discussed, along with its theory, procedure, and parameters. We also discussed the side forces that arise in DEP systems and how they negatively or positively affect the CNT alignment. The article concludes with a brief review of CNT-based devices fabricated using DEP, as well as the method's limitations and future prospects.

Keywords: CNTFET; alignment; assembly; carbon nanotubes; dielectrophoresis; sensors.

Publication types

Review