Parallel to these in vivo studies, the notion that uniaxially aligned nanofibers can guide the extension of neurites along the direction of alignment has also been extensively examined in vitro by many research groups.
Also, for low contents of nanotubes, the electrical conductivity of the composite with preferentially aligned nanotubes was up to a million times higher in the direction of alignment compared to that of the composite with randomly oriented nanotubes; however, at higher contents of nanotubes, this effect was diminished.
Additional tailoring of the direction of alignment is seen to be possible even at room temperature, using physical forces in the form of scratch marks on the soot.
Structural characteristics of the computational samples, such as bundle size distribution, average and maximum bundle sizes, magnitude of the Herman orientation factor, average tilt of CNT segments with respect to the direction of alignment, and average tortuosity of the nanotubes, are calculated and related to parameters of the sample preparation procedure.
Moreover, mechanical testing revealed that the sheets exhibited mechanical anisotropy similar to that of native vessels with both the stiffness and strength being significantly larger in the direction of alignment, demonstrating that the microscale control of ECM organization results in functional changes in macroscale material behavior.
Furthermore, the conductivities parallel to the direction of m-CNT alignment were higher than those in the perpendicular direction, indicating that the alignment of the m-CNTs contributed to the enhancement of the anisotropic electrical properties of the composites in the direction of alignment.
Furthermore, the conductivities parallel to the direction of magnetic field were higher than those in the perpendicular direction, indicating that the alignment of the m-MWCNT contributed to the enhancement of the anisotropic electrical properties of the composites in the direction of alignment.
These serve to reinforce the component in the direction of alignment in the same fashion as fibres reinforce composite materials.
It is found that regardless of the direction of alignment and number of buckyballs, the unit energy absorption density is almost the same for low-speed impact.
