Patent ID: 8487028

Claim:
A process of preparing an array of carbon nanotubes comprising: applying a coating solution onto a substrate to form a coated substrate, the coating solution including a soluble metal precursor, a soluble polymer and a suitable solvent, said soluble metal precursor including a first metal selected from iron, nickel, cobalt, and molybdenum, and a second metal selected from aluminum and magnesium, said soluble polymer selected from polyethyleneimine, carboxylated polyethyleneimine, other PEI derivatives, polyacrylic acid, polypyrrolidone, and poly(ethylene-maleic acid); and heating the coated substrate in a reducing atmosphere including a carbon source gas at temperatures and for time characterized as sufficient to first remove the polymer and after removing the polymer, form an array of carbon nanotubes on the support.