Carbon Nanotubes Suspended in Epoxy

3-D reconstruction of carbon nanotubes suspended in an epoxy, obtained by electron tomography. 

The colors, which were assigned by an image-processing algorithm, help researchers see at a glance the degree to which the nanotubes are aligned. The research revealed that the more aligned and clumped the nanotubes are, the stronger they are and the better they conduct heat and electricity. 

Knowing these properties and how and why they change is important when incorporating carbon nanotubes into new materials.