%0 Journal Article
%T Dynamics of capillary infiltration of liquids into a highly aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube film
%A S£¿awomir Boncel
%A Krzysztof Z. Walczak
%A Krzysztof K. K. Koziol
%J Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology
%D 2011
%I 
%R 10.3762/bjnano.2.36
%X The physical compatibility of a highly aligned carbon nanotube (HACNT) film with liquids was established using a fast and convenient experimental protocol. Two parameters were found to be decisive for the infiltration process. For a given density of nanotube packing, the thermodynamics of the infiltration process (wettability) were described by the contact angle between the nanotube wall and a liquid meniscus (¦È). Once the wettability criterion (¦È < 90¡ã) was met, the HACNT film (of free volume equal to 91%) was penetrated gradually by the liquid in a rate that can be linearly correlated to dynamic viscosity of the liquid (¦Ç). The experimental results follow the classical theory of capillarity for a steady process (Lucas¨CWashburn law), where the nanoscale capillary force, here supported by gravity, is compensated by viscous drag. This most general theory of capillarity can be applied in a prediction of both wettability of HACNT films and the dynamics of capillary rise in the intertube space in various technological applications.
%K capillary action
%K dynamic viscosity
%K highly aligned carbon nanotubes
%K superhydrophobicity
%K wettability
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.2.36