Self-organization of novel carbon composite structure: Graphene multi-layers combined perpendicularly with aligned carbon nanotubes

A novel carbon composite structure consisiting of graphene multi-layers and aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) has been discovered. The composite structure, which was synthesized by chemical vapor deposition, has graphene multi-layers combined with the upper ends of vertically aligned MWNTs on a substrate. This microscopically-combined structure has been confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The substrate with the new structure looks gray and shiny, which is completely different from the appearance of a substrate with the usual vertically-aligned MWNTs. The new composite structure is expected to have excellent electrical and thermal properties, and therefore is likely to find many applications in electronics.