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Abstract

We demonstrate that single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can be
macroscopically aligned by means of templating in a lyotropic nematic
liquid crystal (LC), a self-assembling anisotropic fluid with
orientational but no translational order. The CNTs spontaneously adopt
the alignment of the host, as we verify by means of resonant Raman
spectroscopy. The aqueous LC host, based on the surfactant SDS,
simultaneously keeps the nanotubes well dispersed over time scales of
months or longer. The LC can be loaded with CNTs to almost the same
extent as the standard isotropic 1% surfactant solutions normally used
for dispersing CNTs without any optically visible bundling occurring.