Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing a substrate-supported aligned carbon nanotube film including: synthesizing a layer of aligned carbon nanotubes on the substrate capable of supporting nanotube growth, applying a layer of a second substrate to a top surface of aligned carbon nanotube layer, removing said substrate capable of supporting nanotube growth to provide an aligned carbon nanotube film supported on said second substrate.

Abstract: A reactor for preparing carbon nanotubes comprising a reaction chamber, at least one support means located within said reaction chamber capable of supporting a substrate, said substrate being capable of supporting carbon nanotube growth, at least one heating element located within said reaction chamber capable of providing localized heating to said substrate within said reaction chamber, and means for passing a gaseous carbonaceous material into said reaction chamber such that is passes over the contacts said substrate.

Abstract: A reactor for preparing carbon nanotubes comprising a reaction chamber, at least one support means located within said reaction chamber capable of supporting a substrate, said substrate being capable of supporting carbon nanotube growth, at least one heating element located within said reaction chamber capable of providing localized heating to said substrate within said reaction chamber, and means for passing a gaseous carbonaceous material into said reaction chamber such that is passes over the contacts said substrate.

Abstract: The invention provides in one aspect a process for preparing a microgel by RAFT polymerizing in the presence of a RAFT chain transfer agent, one or more solvophobic monomers and one or more solvophilic monomers to form one or more block copolymers comprising one or more solvophobic blocks and one or more solvophilic blocks wherein the solvophobic block is insoluble in a dispersing medium and the solvophilic block is soluble in the dispersing medium. The block copolymer is dispersed in the dispersing medium to form micelles, which is then stabilized to form the microgel. The dispersing medium can be aqueous or lipophilic. The method of the present invention also permits one to encapsulate a wide variety of materials, such as pigments, dye molecules, and aluminum flakes used in metallized paints.

Abstract: The invention provides in one aspect a process for preparing a microgel by RAFT polymerizing in the presence of a RAFT chain transfer agent, one or more solvophobic monomers and one or more solvophilic monomers to form one or more block copolymers comprising one or more solvophobic blocks and one or more solvophilic blocks wherein the solvophobic block is insoluble in a dispersing medium and the solvophilic block is soluble in the dispersing medium. The block copolymer is dispersed in the dispersing medium to form micelles, which is then stabilized to form the microgel. The dispersing medium can be aqueous or lipophilic. The method of the present invention also permits one to encapsulate a wide variety of materials, such as pigments, dye molecules, and aluminum flakes used in metallized paints.

Abstract: A process for preparing a patterned layer of aligned carbon nanotubes on a substrate including: applying a pattern of polymeric material to the surface of a substrate capable of supporting nanotube growth using a soft-lithographic technique; subjecting said polymeric material to carbonization to form a patterned layer of carbonized polymer on the surface of the substrate; synthesising a layer of aligned carbon nanotubes on regions of said substrate to which carbonized polymer is not attached to provide a patterned layer of aligned carbon nanotubes on said substrate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing a patterned layer of aligned carbon nanotubes on a substrate including: applying a photoresist layer to at least a portion of a surface of a substrate capable of supporting nanotube growth, masking a region of said photoresist layer to provide a masked portion and an unmasked portion, subjecting said unmasked portion to electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength and intensity sufficient to transform the unmasked portion while leaving the masked portion substantially untransformed, said transformed portion exhibiting solubility characteristics different to said untransformed portion, developing said photoresist layer by contacting with a solvent for a time and under conditions sufficient to dissolve one of said transformed and untransformed portions of the photoresist, leaving the other portion attached to said substrate, synthesising a layer of aligned carbon nanotubes on regions of said substrate to which said remaining photoresist portion is not attached to p

Abstract: A process for preparing carbon nanotubes comprising locating a substrate (1) capable of supporting carbon nanotube growth in a localised heating zone within a reaction chamber (7), said localised heating zone being provided by a heating element (2) located within the reaction chamber (7), passing a gaseous carbonaceous material into the reaction chamber (7) such that the gaseous material passes over and contacts the substrate (1) in the localised heating zone, whereby the gaseous material undergoes pyrolysis under the influence of the heat to form carbon nanotubes on the substrate (1). Embodiments of the process prepare multilayer carbon nanotubes and hetero-structured multilayer carbon nanotube films.