Methods of aligning single walled carbon nanotube structures into selected
orientations for a variety of different applications are achieved by initially
dispersing the nanotube structures in aqueous solutions utilizing a suitable dispersal
agent. The dispersal agent coats each individual nanotube structure in solution.
The dispersal agent may be substituted with a suitable functional group that reacts
with a corresponding binding site. Dispersed nanotube structures coated with substituted
dispersal agents are exposed to a selected array of binding sites such that the
nanotubes align with the binding sites due to the binding of the substituted functional
groups with such binding sites. Alternatively, crystalline nanotube material is
formed upon deposition of dispersed nanotube structures within solution into channels
disposed on the surface of the substrate. Combining dispersal agent chemical modification
techniques with deposition of the nanotubes into substrate channels is also utilized
to produce useful structures.
