Preparation of carbon-based composite nano-materials for device application

• Main Author: Mohamad Faiz Kamal
• Other Authors: Chow Kin Kee
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Nanoelectronics
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/63916
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The ability of carbon to form many allotropes (graphene, nanotubes, fullerene and amorphous and polycrystalline graphite) due to its valency, has received much attention. Its extraordinary electrical, thermal and physical properties are one of the fundamental reasons for its application in the research and development of new devices. It is certainly undeniable that carbon-based composite nano-materials are able to enhance a device performance. Furthermore, a novel multifunctional material system can also be developed by the combination of the different properties from the varying phases. Henceforth, many of these carbon-based composites have been fabricated over the years through different methods including solution blending, in situ polymerization and several other deposition methods. In this study, several techniques will be explored in depositing these carbon-based nano-materials which includes spin coating, spray coating, drop casting and baking. Three carbon-based nano-materials which are carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene and graphene oxide were used in this study. The optimized results were reviewed based on their uniformity and distribution on a glass substrate through images obtained from the optical microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The successful deposition trials were then applied to that using an optical fiber which allows for further device applications such as sensors.