Many envisioned carbon nanotube (CNT) applications, such as device interconnections in integrated circuits, require directed growth of aligned CNTs, and low-resistance high-strength CNT junctions with tunable chemistry, stability, and electronic properties. However, forming CNT-CNT junctions on the substrate plane in a scalabe fashion, to enable in-plane device circuitry and interconnections, remains to be realized. This invention is based on the discovery that high current densities can slice, weld, and chemically functionalize multiwalled CNTs and alter their electrical properties.

The use and development of carbon nanotubes has expanded, as these materials have shown to be valuable innext generation industries including the fields of electronicsand chemistry. The further development of carbon nanotubetechnology allows organized structures or intertwined randomly oriented bundles of carbon nanotubes to be formed. Techniques have been developed to controllably build organized architectures of nanotubes having predetermined orientations, such as vertically aligned nanotubes.

Block copolymers are polymers whose molecular chains consist of incompatible segments that can self-assemble to form separated phases or microdomains. The versatile properties of block copolymers are determined by their phase-separated microdomains, generating a variety of applications in biomedical materials, engineering thermoplastics and elastomers, and optical and electrical materials. This invention is directed to a novel method of assembling and controlling the properties of block copolymers.

Routine, nondestructive inspectsions of aircraft components take place at periodic intervals before and during operation of an aircarft to ensure safety of flight. These mandated inspections focus on damage caused by impact, flight induced stress, or manufacturing defect. Currently, most of these inspections are time consuming, expensive, and result in significant downtime of the aircraft. This invention is directed to nanosensors that can detect structural change in aircraft components.

Subjecting single-walled carbon nanotubes to a flash of light causes the material to ignite, producing a photo-acoustic effect. A simple camera flash demonstrates how heat confinement in nanostructures can lead to drastic structural effects and induce ignition under exposure to conditions where no reaction would be expected for macro scale materials. This technology could have multiple applications such as optoelectronic sensors and light triggered remote detonators.

The unique properties of carbon nanotubes (CNT), more specifically, single walled carbone nanotubes (SWNT), have made them excellent candidates for applications in bio-sensing, fuel cells, and nanofabrication. Considerable research effort has been devoted to development of methods to achieve stable suspensions of highly dispersed CNTs. However, progress has been impeded by two major hurdles. FIrst, their poor solubility in both aqueous and organic solvents makes them difficult to manipulate and functionalize.