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Electroplating copper on carbon nanotubes

My name is Vasudevan and I am currently pursuing my research to improve thermal conductivity of carbon nanotubes. There is a very large conductance drop at the interface between the nanotube array and the heater, so I had the idea of plating copper on the surface of the nanotube array. I tried using vinegar ⇦in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] as the acid and a copper bar as an electrode, but copper did not bond to the carbon nanotube. Is there any other electrolyte and electrode combination which can work? Is copper sulphate ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] solution a possibility?Is there any other method which could work? There is a laser deposition technique, but it coats copper in the order of 10 microns. I would need close to 500 microns.
Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Vasudevan Raghavan
student - Cincinnati, OH, United States
June 2, 2009

I used copper sulphate as electrolyte and copper as anode. I got a thin wafer of copper deposit at 9V for 20 minutes.The deposit however did not bond too well to the CNT. Is there a way to speed up the reaction and also quote uniform layer of copper on the entire CNT surface? I was recommended copper sulphate solution and platinum anode, but platinum is very expensive. Could I use any other metal which is inert or can I stick with copper itself? The sample surface area is around 5 mm * 5 mm

Vasudevan Raghavan
- Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
June 4, 2009

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First of two simultaneous responses --

I'm by no means an expert in CNTs, but sometimes wetting is a problem. Do you know whether the acid functionalizes the surface to improve wetting?

Wendi Sweet
- San Diego, California, USA
June 5, 2009

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Second of two simultaneous responses --

You may try some PVD technique - sputtering, cathodic arc etc. But it is difficult to get 500 microns. First have a thinner - few microns - adherent copper coating by PVD and then try electroplating.

H.R. Prabhakara - Consultant
Bangalore Plasmatek - Bangalore Karnataka India
June 7, 2009

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June 10, 2009

Thank you for your responses.
Hyrdroxyl and carboxyl groups functionalizes the CNTs, but once they are functionalized, they lose their property.
I will try sputtering or laser deposition technique and then do electroplating. It may just help.

Vasudevan Raghavan
- Cincinnati, Ohio, United States