58 HIGH PERFORMANCE POLYMERS
together. This structure increases both the mechanical
robustness of the film and the electrical stability under
UV radiation. The free-standing and ultra-thin net-
work thus obtained is highly transparent, flexible, and
more conductive than transparent nanotube/polymer
composites.
Ultra-thin conformal coatings in the range of 10–
100 nm using poly(ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate) and poly(p-
xylylene) have been synthesized via vapor deposition
in the confined nanochannels of anodized alumina
membranes [110]. After the removal of the inorganic
anodized alumina membrane, nanotubes with a pre-
cisely controlled wall thickness could be isolated.
Porous membranes using a parylene encapsulated
vertically aligned forest of multi-walled carbon