Carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-mediated self-assembly of metal (Au and Ag) nanoparticles at the liquid/liquid interface in the form of a stable nanocomposite film is reported. The metallic luster results from the electronic coupling of nanoparticles, suggesting the formation of closely packed nanoparticle thin films. The interfacial film could be transferred to mica substrates and carbon-coated transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grids. The transferred films were very stable for a prolonged time. The samples were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), TEM, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). SEM and TEM results show that the films formed at the liquid/liquid interface are indeed composite materials consisting of CNTs and nanoparticles. XPS measurements further indicate the presence of the interaction between nanoparticles and CNTs.

Horizontally aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) field emitters, which strongly adhere to the substrate and show good field emission properties, were fabricated by electrophoresis deposition and fissure formation techniques. A thin film of CNTs was deposited on a substrate, by electrophoresis, from an aqueous mixture of CNT and detergent, and then the detergent was deposited also by electropholysis. CNTs with a clean surface were exposed in the fissures produced by firing. The field emission was increased significantly due to the additional deposition of the detergent. When the CNTs were cut by increasing the firing time, the field emission increased significantly, while their stability decreased considerably. Our method does not require any further treatment for field emission.

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