Mechanical behavior of ultralong multiwalled carbon nanotube mats

Large mats of dense, well-aligned, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are grown with a vapor-phase chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method by using ferrocene and benzene as reactants and are then tested by using a thermomechanical analyzer and a scanning electron microscope. The analysis of both the growth method used and the nanotube mat fracture surface has indicated that the mats grown in this method are not made of continuous nanotubes and their strengths are actually closer to those of woven nanotube yarns and ropes.