Patent ID: 7704479

Claim:
A method for forming porous carbon nanotube or nanowire films, comprising the steps of: forming a composite film comprising carbon nanotubes or nanowires and solid sacrificial nanoparticles or microparticles having an axis between 10 nanotube and 100 microns by providing a porous membrane; dispersing a plurality of said nanotubes or nanowires and said solid sacrificial nanoparticles or microparticles into a solution, said solution including at least one surface stabilizing agent for preventing said nanotubes or nanowires from flocculating out of suspension; applying said solution to said membrane; and removing said solution, wherein said nanotubes or nanowires and said solid sacrificial nanoparticles or microparticles are forced onto a surface of said porous membrane to form said composite film disposed on said membrane; and removing at least a portion of said sacrificial nanoparticles or microparticles from said film to form a highly porous nanotube or nanowire film.