Atomic force microscopy imaging and cutting of beaded carbon nanotubes deposited on glass

• Main Authors: Singjai P., Songmee N., Tunkasiri T., Vilaithong T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-0036805737&partnerID=40&md5=aee79a975f75e6890123d78968c1525f; http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/handle/6653943832/5409
• Institution: Chiang Mai University

We use contact force mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study the structures and to cut carbon nanotubes (CNTs) adsorbed on a glass slide. In addition to regular CNTs, beaded carbon nanotubes (BCNTs) were also observed when preparing products using electric current heating with the pencil technique. Imaging by contact force mode AFM could be achieved at low contact force, whereas cutting could be operated at a higher contact force in conjunction with the y-scan direction being disabled. Cutting of BCNTs can be done without any translation of the beaded tubes. It is believed that the similar ingredients of the beaded oxides and the glass slide make them bond preferentially by chemical force. Furthermore, the morphologies were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).