Functional multi-walled carbon nanotube/polyaniline composite films as supports of platinum for formic acid electrooxidation

Embedding of carbon nanotubes in conducting polymeric matrices for various nanocomposites material is now a popular area. In this article, a concise chemical method has been described for the preparation of homogeneous nanocomposite of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT)/polyaniline (PANI) by electrochemical codeposition. For this we functionalized the MWNTs via the diazotization reaction. This helped to disperse the nanotubes in aniline. The composite films were dispersed Pt by electrodeposition technique. The presence of MWNTs and platinum in the composite films was confirmed by XRD analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Four-point probe investigations revealed that the MWNT/PANI composite films exhibited a good conductivity. Cyclic voltammograms (CV) showed that Pt-modified MWNT/PANI composite films perform higher electrocatalytic activity and better long-term stability than Pt-modified pure PANI film toward formic acid oxidation. The results imply that the MWNT/PANI composite films as a promising support material improves the electrocatalytic activity for formic acid oxidation greatly.     

Direct laser interference patterning of multi-walled carbon nanotube-based transparent conductive coatings

Topographical structures were created on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotube-based coatings deposited on borosilicate glass using the direct laser interference patterning (DLIP) technique. Films made by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) dispersed in antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) matrix and networks of MWNTs with both low and high adherence to the substrates were irradiated with one single laser pulse. Due to the high absorption coefficient of ATO, the film was completely removed at the interference maxima positions leading to periodic arrays of high quality on macroscopic areas. Additionally, increase of the laser fluence has produced wider ablated regions. Irradiation of high adherent networks of MWNTs produced a periodic porous structure, what has been attributed to the presence of adherence promoters in the film. On the other hand, MWNT networks with low adhesion to the substrate were strongly removed at the interference maxima positions. In this case, however, the fabricated periodic structures presented several defects that result from the poor adherence of the film to the substrate.     

Electrophoresis and orientation of multiple wall carbon nanotubes in polymer solution

This paper contains an in-depth analysis of the electrophoresis of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in liquid epoxy where electrophoresis experiments under DC and AC fields were carried out for five different types of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). DC electrophoresis and particle image velocimetry were used to determine the electrophoretic particle mobility and zeta potential, where the MWNTs with the largest outer diameter and length led to the highest mobility values. The orientation and agglomeration of MWNTs into “striation” lines under AC electrophoresis were investigated by analysing the hue, saturation and intensity of the transmitted polarised light under microscope, following a schedule of step-wise applied voltage in the range of 0 to 100 V. Plots of hue and saturation as a function of the applied voltage were used to assess the degree of orientation and density of orientated MWNT structures, respectively, and to determine an optimum AC electric field value for the orientation of a specific MWNT type by electrophoresis.     

Magnetic anisotropy properties of CoZrNb thin films deposited on PET substrate by magnetron sputtering

Soft magnetism and magnetic anisotropy properties of CoZrNb thin films deposited on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate by magnetron sputtering were investigated. As the film thickness increases, the coercivity of films decreases from 7 to 4 Oe. It exhibits an in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy as the thickness of CoZrNb thin films increases. An easy axis is observed in CoZrNb films along the direction transverse to the rolling direction of the polymer web.     

Critical Exponents of Gelation and Conductivity in Polyacrylamide Gels Doped by Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

Polyacrylamide (PAM) doped by multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) gels were prepared with different amounts of MWNTs varying in the range between 0.1 and 15 wt%. The PAM–MWNT composite gels were characterized by the steady state fluorescence technique (SSF). The alternative electrical conductivity (AC) of PAM–MWNT composite gels was measured by the dielectric spectroscopy technique. Observations around the gel point, t _gel for PAM–MWNTs composite gels showed that the gel fraction exponent β obeyed the percolation result. The critical exponent r of AC electrical conductivity for the composite PAM–MWNT gel was also measured and found to be about 2.0, which agrees with a random resistor network.     

A study on the electrical conductivity of multi-walled carbon nanotube aqueous solution

The electrical conductivity was investigated for multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) dissolved in chloroform and toluene, respectively. The electrical conductivity remarkably increased with increase in the content of MWNTs, which is in accordance with Archie's equation . Furthermore, a hypothesis of the electronic transport process was proposed to explain the difference between the solution and the solid compound. In addition, the temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity shows that log σ vs. 1/T exist in a good linear relationship. The activation energy of the electrical conductivity decreased with increase in concentration and an inflexion was observed at 60 °C in MWNT/toluene solution.     

Elevated performances of SnS anodes with MWNTs as conductive agent for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries

SnS nanoparticles were mechanochemically synthesized and fabricated into electrodes with two kinds of conductive agents, acetylene black and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), respectively. The morphology and structure of as-synthesized SnS powder were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The electrochemical properties of as-prepared electrodes were investigated by discharge–charge test, cyclic voltammogram, and electrochemical impedance spectrum. By comparing the variation of the charge-transfer impedance R _ct at different discharge states, it was found that the value of R _ct of the electrode with MWNTs as conductive agent was less than that of the electrode with acetylene black as conductive agent. The electrode with MWNTs as conductive agent had preferable cycling performances, which was believed to be attributed to the tenacity and good conductivity of MWNTs.     

Preparation and characteristic of platinum catalyst deposited on boron-doped carbon nanotubes

In this work, boron doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes (BMWNTs) were introduced as a Pt catalyst support due to their unique physicochemical properties. The effect of BMWNTs on methanol oxidation was investigated with different Pt loading contents. The surface and structural properties of the modified MWNT supports were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The Pt loading contents in the catalysts were confirmed by inductive coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) and the morphological structures of the catalysts were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electrocatalytic activity of Pt/MWNTs was investigated by cyclic voltammetry measurement. As a result, the boron oxide vapor reacted with MWNTS to form BMWNTs, which led to enhancing the properties, such as graphitization and electrochemical behaviors. Moreover, Pt deposited on BMWNTs exhibited better electrocatalytic activity than on MWNTs for methanol oxidation. Consequently, it was found that partial boron doped MWNTs could influence on the properties of the MWNTs, resulting in enhancing the electrocatalytic activity of the catalysts for DMFCs.     

Features of the specific resistance of nanocomposite films fabricated from multiwall carbon tubes by means of a directed spinning chuck

Nanocomposite films are produced on the basis of carbon multiwalled nanotubes (MWNTs) and polymer (carbon MWNTs/polymer, 95/5 mass %). The nanocomposite is deposited in the liquid phase on a paper substrate by a directed spinning chuck. The temperature dependence of specific resistance of the obtained films along and across the nanotube orientation is studied in the range T = 20?140°C. Irreversible transitions from semiconductor-to metal-type conductivity are observed.     

Preparation and characterization of aligned carbon nanotubes/polylactic acid composite fibers

Aligned functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes/polylactic acid (MWNTs-PCL/PLA) composite fibers were successfully prepared by electrospinning processing. The MWNTs bonded with the polycaprolactone chains exhibited excellent uniform dispersion in PLA solution by comparing with the acid-functionalized MWNTs and amino-functionalized MWNTs. Optical microscopy was used to study the aligned degree of the fibers and to investigate the influences of the electrodes distance on the alignment and structure of the fibers, and results showed that the best quality of aligned fibers with dense structure and high aligned degree were obtained at an electrodes distance of 3 cm. Moreover, the MWNTs embedded inside the MWNTs-PCL/PLA fibers displayed well orientation along the axes of the fibers, which was demonstrated by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy.     

Conical surface structures on model thin-film electrodes and tape-cast electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries

A computationally-effective approach for calculating the electromechanical behavior of SWNTs and MWNTs of the dimensions used in nano-electronic devices has been developed. It is a mixed finite element–tight-binding code carefully designed to realize significant time saving in calculating deformation-induced changes in electrical transport properties of the nanotubes. The effect of the MWNT diameter and chirality on the conductance after mechanical deformation was investigated. In case of torsional deformation, results revealed the conductance of MWNTs to depend strongly on the diameter, since bigger MWNTs reach the buckling load under torsion much earlier, their electrical conductivity changes more easily than in small diameter ones. For the same outer diameter, zigzag MWNTs are more sensitive to twisting than armchair MWNTs since the hexagonal cells are oriented in such a way that they oppose less resistance to the buckling deformations due to torsion. Thus small diameter armchair MWNTs should work better if used as conductors, while big diameter zigzag MWNTs are more suitable for building sensors.     

Fabrication of patterned gold electrodes with spin-coated-and-fired Au(1 1 1) film by the soft lithography

We prepared high quality Au(1 1 1) film on Si wafer through the spin coating and thermal decomposition of a gold ink, spin-coated-and-fired (SCAF) Au film. The X-ray measurements, XRD and pole-figure analysis, showed that the SCAF Au film has a (1 1 1) out-of-plane orientation with a random in-plane orientation. In order to confirm the chemical activity of the SCAF Au film, we demonstrate the formation of patterned structures with the film by using soft lithography technique. The chemical activities of this physically stable SCAF Au film to the alkanethiols were at least equivalent those of physically deposited the Au films. The possibility of the mass production of micro patterned structure with the SCAF Au film was also demonstrated over the wide region on Si wafer by the microcontact lithography. These suggest that the Au film will help the easy fabrication of various nanosized devices on Si wafer and other substrates.     

High-performance electric double-layer capacitors using mass-produced multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Mass-produced multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs, which have the trademark VGNF®) have been investigated for their potential for use in electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs). The variation aspects of these MWNTs by KOH activation showed quite interesting features. The gravimetric capacitance enhancement and specific surface area on KOH activation increased linearly. However, the capacitance per unit surface area has a maximum at 200 wt.?% of KOH addition. The VGNF-KOH 500 sample exhibits a capacitance enhancement as much as 13 times greater (28.3 F/g) than that of the as-grown materials (2.2 F/g), under the conditions of charging up to 3.5 V and discharging at a current density of 10 mA/cm². Interestingly, for this MWNT (VGNF®), selective attack on its amorphous carbon impurity has also been observed, as demonstrated from both scanning electron microscopy observations and Raman spectra. Consequently, the results of this study will provide insight into the potentiality of using MWNTs for EDLC electrodes, which would enable the cheapest production cost among the various types of carbon nanotubes.     

Electronic properties and field emission of carbon nanotube films treated by hydrogen plasma

Large-scale and very even multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWNT) films have been obtained at room temperature by an electrophoresis deposition technique. The characterization, by means of scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and micro-Raman spectroscopy, shows that the MWNTs with hydrogen-plasma (HP) treatment are covered by onion-like nanolumps, and three-dimensional multiple-way-connected nanotube webs are formed. The electronic property of the treated MWNT film is converted from semiconducting to metallic. The field-emission test indicates that the HP-treated MWNT film has a low threshold of 1.1 V/m (at 0.1 A/cm²), a high emission light spot density of about 10⁵ cm^-2, and a stable and suitable emission current. The conversion mechanism of the treated carbon nanotube structure and the reason for the change of the electronic and field-emission characteristics of the MWNT films are discussed. PACS 81.07.De; 82.33.Xj; 85.45.Db     

CEMS Study on Fe Films Deposited by Laser Ablation

Iron thin films deposited on Al foil by pulsed laser ablation were characterized by conversion electron Mössbauer spectrometry (CEMS). The hyperfine fields became large and the isomer shift was closed to that of bulk α-Fe with increasing the thickness of deposited films. The small grains are so reactive that small particles of Fe^III oxides were produced in thin deposited layers. The magnetic orientation of the deposited films became from parallel to in-plane to at random. The small grains were considered to grow by aggregating with ablation time.

     

Static dielectric properties of carbon nanotubes from first principles

We characterize the response of isolated single-wall (SWNT) and multiwall (MWNT) carbon nanotubes and nanotube bundles to static electric fields using first-principles calculations and density-functional theory. The longitudinal polarizability of SWNTs scales as the inverse square of the band gap, while in MWNTs and bundles it is given by the sum of the polarizabilities of the constituent tubes. The transverse polarizability of SWNTs is insensitive to band gaps and chiralities and is proportional to the square of the effective radius; in MWNTs, the outer layers dominate the response. The transverse response is intermediate between metallic and insulating, and a simple electrostatic model based on a scale-invariance relation captures accurately the first-principles results. The dielectric response of nonchiral SWNTs in both directions remains linear up to very high values of applied field.     

Fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces with poly(furfuryl alcohol)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes composites

Superhydrophobic films of poly(furfuryl alcohol)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (PFA/MWNTs) composites have been obtained by using fluorocarbon-modified MWNTs (MWNT-OOCC₇F₁₅), PFA, and PTFE with a simple preparation method. The prepared films showed both high contact angle and small sliding angle for water droplets. The chemical compositions and microstructures of the resultant film surfaces were also investigated by means of infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscope, respectively. Both the formed multiscale roughness structures and the lower surface energy play an important role in creating the superhydrophobic surfaces of PFA/MWNTs composites.     

微柱状CsI闪烁薄膜热蒸发生长工艺

采用真空热蒸发法在石英玻璃基片上制备了具有特殊微柱状结构的碘化铯闪烁薄膜。运用扫描电子显微镜、X射线衍射仪和荧光光谱仪分别对碘化铯薄膜的形貌、结构及发光性能等进行了表征与分析。结果表明:在基片温度为260℃、沉积速率为3 nm.s-1时,所生长的碘化铯薄膜具有理想的微柱形貌、沿(110)晶面的择优取向和良好的透射性能;紫外光激发下,发射主峰为438 nm,X射线激发下,发射主峰为315nm,说明短波段发射峰需要的激发能量较高,而长波段发射峰对紫外光激发更为敏感。     

Microstructural, optical and electrical studies on sol gel derived ZnO and ZnO:Al films

ZnO and ZnO:Al films were deposited onto glass substrates by the sol gel method using spin coating technique. The effects of aluminum dopant on the crystalline structure and orientation of the ZnO films have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) study. Surface morphology of the films has also been analyzed by a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). The average optical transmittance values of all the films is over >83% in the visible region. The optical band gap and Urbach energy values of these films were determined. The absorption edge shifted to the lower energy depending on the Al doping level. The shift of absorption edge is associated with shrinkage effect. The electrical conductivity of the ZnO film enhanced with the Al dopant. From the temperature dependence of conductivity measurements, the activation energy of the films was also calculated.     

Transparent carbon nanotube-based driving electrodes for liquid crystal dispersion display devices

We report the fabrication of transparent rigid or flexible liquid crystal dispersion displays driven by electrodes prepared from coating inert substrates with stable aqueous suspensions of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) or multiple-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). The SWNT-coated electrodes exhibit a dense nanotube network with a sheet resistivity ( 25 k) about one decade lower than that of their MWNT counterparts. The electro-optical performance of the SWNT-based devices is at least equivalent to that of an indium tin oxide-based display, whereas those driven by MWNT electrodes operate at slightly higher threshold and saturation voltages. The novel, flexible display devices can be repeatedly bent without any noticeable loss of physical characteristics. PACS 42.79.Kr; 61.46.+w; 81.07.De