Formation of fractal-like structures driven by carbon nanotubes-based collapsed hollow capsules

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based hollow capsules were obtained by degradation under acidic conditions of core-shell nanocomposites build up upon adsorption of multilayers of CNTs (shell) onto melamine-formaldehyde (MF) spheres (core). By evaporation of the dispersions obtained, polymeric fractal patterns from the degradation products of the MF core were formed onto silicon wafers. The proposed mechanism for the formation of these structures is based on the role of the capsules as arrangements of heterogeneities that facilitate the dewetting of the liquid polymeric films.