Manipulation of ultralong single-walled carbon nanotubes at macroscale

A parallel, controllable yet simple approach was developed to manipulate single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and create complex architectures of SWNTs. This approach was based on the utilization of flexible poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film as a mediator for indirectly manipulating the SWNTs. With this PMMA-mediated manipulation approach, SWNTs were bended at controlled bending angles without degrading their pristine properties. Meanwhile, crossbar arrays with controlled crossing angle were created. Moreover, complex two-dimensional (2D) architectures, such as steplike and zigzag structures of SWNTs were obtained without complicated lithographic processes. Our manipulation technique paves the way to fabricate novel 2D configuration of SWNTs, induce controllable strain in SWNTs and then build new devices based on them.