Iranian researchers from Kashan University in close collaboration with scholars from Deakin University of Australia successfully developed the application range of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) through the inspiration from leopard skin. The obtained experimental results are reported to be employed in nanoelectronics, drug delivery systems, and water treatment.
The uniform dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in polymers and liquid beds are difficult to achieve. Using a leopard skin-like structure is shown to enhance the interfacial adhesion of CNTs and the matrix and boosts the mechanical strength of the nanocomposites through the modified dispersion. This approach is applied for the PMMA/PAN polymer mixture in which CNTs are superficially modified through a leopard skin-like structure. In fact, the modified regions on the nanotubes resemble the leopard skin. Such an architecture may improve the interfacial strength of the matrix and CNTs and give rise to a high-strength polymer matrix nanocomposites. One can control this structure and employ that in drug delivery applications. Additionally, the