A facile dry route electrostatic-force-directed assembly (ESFDA) was used to deposit silver nanocrystals onto the external surface of vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Charged and nonagglomerated aerosol silver nanocrystals were first produced using a mini-arc plasma source. The nanocrystals were then assembled onto the electrically biased MWCNT array through the enhanced electric field near the CNT surface. The electrostatic field plays a crucial role in the assembly process. Gradients of the nanocrystal size and the nanocrystal areal density along the length of the CN...
