Manipulation and alignment of silicon carbide nanotubes with AC electric fields

The manipulation of individual nanostructures, regardless of their shape or medium, is a challenge for those seeking to efficiently utilize the electrical properties of those nanostructures [1]. In this study, two procedures were developed to observe the effects of an AC electric field to manipulate and align silicon carbide (SiC) nanotubes. Although the initial procedure proved to be inconclusive, it revealed the difficulties with manipulating relatively large quantities of nanotubes on a millimeter scale. The second procedure, which utilized electrodes on the micrometer scale, proved to be more successful in manipulating and aligning the SiC nanotubes. It is believed the latter method of manipulating SiC nanotubes can be employed to position individual structures across similar electrodes to measure their electrical characteristics.