An advanced jet-based approach to processing nanotubes

This paper reports an investigation carried out on the processing of nanotubes in suspension using electrohydrodynamic atomization. The suspension contained multiwalled, hollow-structured carbon nanotubes of outer diameter 15±5 nm and length 1–5 μm suspended in polyethylene glycol. An operational map of applied voltage to flow rate regime is presented. At selected conditions in the operational map, stable cone–jet mode of electrohydrodynamic atomization prevails. At these conditions, droplet/relic analysis was carried out to examine the finest droplet relics containing nanostructures formed by self-organized nanotubes. Furthermore, the atomization characteristics together with optical and transmission electron microscopy form the discussion in this paper.