Nanopelleting of Carbon Nanotubes

Key Idea Wide-scale usage of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is predicated on the development of robust, large-scale manufacturing techniques. The key challenges to developing such techniques can be grouped into three categories: growth, handling, and functionalization. The nanopelleting concept, devised by a research team in the Micro & Nano Systems Laboratory at MIT, seeks to address these challenges in the context of a manufacturing-compatible process. The objective of this work is the design and verification of the nanopelleting concept. Utilizing existing micro-fabrication technologies and plasma-enhance CVD, we provide proof of concept results and also develop a second generation of nanopellets utilizing an additive process flow.