▎ 摘　　要

NOVELTY - A thermal and electrical conducting apparatus, comprises a few layer graphene film (12) having a thickness D, where D is less than or equal to 1.5 nm; and carbon nanotubes crystallographically aligned with the few-layer graphene film. The few-layer graphene film is on a substrate (16). The substrate is made from an insulator or metal. USE - As thermal and electrical conducting apparatus (claimed) for nanoscale applications; and in fuel cell or battery electrodes and super capacitor electrodes. ADVANTAGE - The apparatus provides for improved crystallographic control over the construction, orientation and placement of carbon nanotubes which significantly enhances their potential for nanoscale applications. The carbon nanotubes grown by the two stage process are strongly tethered to the few-layer graphene film. This is because the crystallographic alignment enhances the Van Der Waals interaction and permits very good electrical and thermal contact between the nanotubes and the few-layer graphene sheet. Such structures are potentially useful for a number of applications including but not limited to for fuel cell or battery electrodes and super capacitor electrodes. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a method of growing carbon nanotubes on a few-layer graphene film, involving applying catalyst particles (18) to a few-layer graphene film having a thickness D, where D is less than or equal to 1.5 nm; and growing carbon nanotubes on the few-layer graphene film in crystallographic alignment with the few-layer graphene film so that the carbon nanotubes demonstrate three distinct histogram peaks at angles of about -60 degrees , about 0 degrees and about +60 degrees . The method involves using chemical vapor deposition without a carbon feedstock gas to grow the carbon nanotubes; and cleaning a substrate and applying few-layer graphene to the cleaned substrate. The step of cleaning includes ultrasonicating the substrate in a cleaning solution. The cleaning further includes subjecting the substrate to UV ozone cleaning. The step of applying of few-layer graphene film includes growing few-layer graphene on a SiC substrate. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows schematic illustration of catalyst particles applied to a few-layer graphene film on a supporting substrate. Few-layer graphene film (12) Substrate (16) Catalyst particles (18)