Switching materials comprising mixed nanoscopic particles and carbon nanotubes and methods of making and using the same
View Patent ↗An improved switching material for forming a composite article over a substrate is disclosed. A first volume of nanotubes is combined with a second volume of nanoscopic particles in a predefined ration relative to the first volume of nanotubes to form a mixture. This mixture can then be deposited over a substrate as a relatively thick composite article via a spin coating process. The composite article may possess improved switching properties over that of a nanotube-only switching article. A method for forming substantially uniform nanoscopic particles of carbon, which contains one or more allotropes of carbon, is also disclosed.
1. A method for forming a composite nanotube article based device, comprising:
forming a nanotube fabric over a first material layer, said nanotube fabric comprising a plurality of nanotubes;
introducing a plurality of nanoscopic particles to said nanotube fabric such that said plurality of nanoscopic particles penetrates said nanotube fabric and forms a composite nanotube article; and
depositing a second material layer such that said composite nanotube article and said second material layer have longitudinal axes that are substantially parallel.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of nanoscopic particles limit the porosity of the composite nanotube article.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of nanoscopic particles limits the encroachment of said second material layer into said composite nanotube article.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of nanoscopic particles are introduced by one of an ion implantation process, a vapor deposition process, or a sputtering process.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of nanotubes are substantially all carbon nanotubes.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of nanoscopic particles includes nanoscopic particles containing at least one allotrope of carbon.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of nanoscopic particles includes silicon oxide particles.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of nanoscopic particles includes silicon nitride particles.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of nanoscopic particles includes multi-walled nanotubes.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein said nanotube fabric is formed by one of a spin-coating process or a spray-coating process.