Macroscopic growth of carbon nanotube mats and their mechanical properties

Here we report the growth and the properties of self standing large area millimeters-thick sheets of as-deposited multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Such sheets were grown by catalytical chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at a growth rate up to 0.5 micrometers per second over an area limited only by the deposition system size (up to 100 cm^2 at present). With this method curved surfaces can be straightforwardly coated. The sheets showed good thermal stability and interesting mechanical properties such as elasticity and resistance under compression and were totally hydrophobic. These results show that the route towards the use of carbon nanotubes as a structural material is now open.