Liquid Crystalline 1D and 2D Carbon Materials

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene derivatives have created great expectations in terms of practical applications and advancement of science. Processing through liquid crystalline ordering of CNTs and graphenes is a promising opportunity to develop novel materials and applications with spontaneously aligned one dimensional (1D) (nanotubes) and two dimensional (2D) (graphene) carbon allotropes. This chapter presents the different methodologies that have been developed to achieve nematic liquid crystals of CNTs and graphene derivatives and their subsequent use for the fabrication of field effect transistors (FETs), and high performance carbon fibers etc. by processing via liquid crystalline route. Since carbon-based nanomaterials are being investigated in the right context of contemporary significance, it is optimistically anticipated that the combination of outstanding and unprecedented properties of carbon nanoforms with processability and alignment properties of liquid crystals can lead to some interesting materials and devices with promising properties and performances.