Small angle X-ray scattering study of carbon nanotube forests densified into long range patterns by controlled solvent evaporation

Although emergent properties from self-assembly of carbon nanotubes have been described in various forms there is so far no systematic process for the preparation of dense arrays of aligned nanotubes. Here we present a systematic study on the analysis of the alignment of carbon nanotubes within solvent densified carbon nanotube forests. Highly periodic patterns with length scales of the order of the millimetres were generated and characterized by electron and optical micrographs and compared to results from small angle X-ray scattering performed at various incident beam angles. The impact of the different solvents was also discussed in light of the densification process and in relation to solvent properties.