Templating of crystallization and shear-induced self-assembly of single-wall carbon nanotubes in a polymer-nanocomposite

We report the appearance of a novel self-assembling of a fraction of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) within a SWCNT-polymer nanocomposite subjected to flow fields upon injection molding processing. By combining X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy techniques, both working on a microfocus fashion, we probe that a fraction of the thinnest SWCNT self-assembles into a rectangular lattice in the sample regions where the shear stress induces the highest levels of nanotube aggregation. Additionally, we demonstrate that a modest amount in weight of nanotubes is enough to template the morphology of crystallization during flow providing a method to obtain a highly desirable fiber-like morphology.