Ultra-pure single wall carbon nanotube fibres continuously spun without promoter.

We report a new strategy towards the control of carbon nanotube (CNT) structure and continuous fibre formation using a floating catalyst direct spinning CVD process. In the procedures used to date, a sulphur promoter precursor is added to significantly enhance the rate of CNT formation in the floating catalyst synthesis. Within the reaction zone, the rapidly grown nanotubes self-assemble into bundles, followed by their continuous spinning into fibres, yarns, films or tapes. In this paper we demonstrate a catalyst control strategy in the floating catalyst system, where the CNT formation process is independent of the presence of a promoter but leads to successful spinning of the macroscopic carbon nanotube assemblies with specific morphology, high purity (Raman D/G 0.03) and very narrow diameter range (0.8-2.5 nm). This can be achieved by the control of catalyst precursor decomposition and subsequent formation of homogeneous nano-sized catalyst particles.

Lipid nanoscaffolds in carbon nanotube arrays.

We present the fabrication of lipid nanoscaffolds inside carbon nanotube arrays by employing the nanostructural self-assembly of lipid molecules. The nanoscaffolds are finely tunable into model biomembrane-like architectures (planar), soft nanochannels (cylindrical) or 3-dimensionally ordered continuous bilayer structures (cubic). Carbon nanotube arrays hosting the above nanoscaffolds are formed by packing of highly oriented multiwalled carbon nanotubes which facilitate the alignment of lipid nanostructures without requiring an external force. Furthermore, the lipid nanoscaffolds can be created under both dry and hydrated conditions. We show their direct application in reconstitution of egg proteins. Such nanoscaffolds find enormous potential in bio- and nano-technological fields.