Characterization of carbon nanotubes and analytical methods for their determination in environmental and biological samples: A review

In the present paper, a critical overview of the most commonly used techniques for the characterization and the determination of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is given on the basis of 170 references (2000–2014). The analytical techniques used for CNT characterization (including microscopic and diffraction, spectroscopic, thermal and separation techniques) are classified, described, and illustrated with applied examples. Furthermore, the performance of sampling procedures as well as the available methods for the determination of CNTs in real biological and environmental samples are reviewed and discussed according to their analytical characteristics. In addition, future trends and perspectives in this field of work are critically presented.     

碳纳米管对结晶紫的吸附研究

研究了碳纳米管对溶液中结晶紫的吸附性能,考察了溶液浓度、溶液p H、吸附时间和吸附温度等因素对吸附行为的影响,初步探讨了碳纳米管对结晶紫的吸附机理。结果表明,碳纳米管对结晶紫的吸附量随着溶液初始浓度的增大而升高;酸性条件有利于吸附的进行,最佳p H等于5;对结晶紫的吸附在3h达到平衡,吸附速率常数为779.76h-1;温度的变化对结晶紫的吸附量影响不大。通过Langmuir方程和Freundlich方程对吸附进行拟合,平衡吸附量Qe与平衡质量浓度Ce之间的关系符合Freundlich等温吸附方程所描述的规律,说明吸附过程以物理吸附为主。     

多孔氧化铝模板催化制备定向碳纳米管阵列

在不加过渡金属做催化剂的前提下,利用化学气相沉积法在二次阳极氧化法制得的多孔氧化铝模板中制备沉积了定取向碳纳米管阵列。考察了不同沉积温度以及退火处理对沉积结果的影响。温度达到600℃以上时,能得到开口的、定取向的多壁碳纳米管阵列；当沉积温度降至550℃左右时,沉积结果中存在碳纳米管、纳米纤维以及类似于弯曲的竹节状的结构；温度继续降低至500℃以下时,不能得到碳纳米管或碳纳米纤维；从实验结果中可以得出,在氧化铝模板中沉积碳纳米管过程中氧化铝起到了催化乙炔裂解以及催化沉积的碳石墨化成碳纳米管两种作用。另外,退火处理虽然能够提高沉积的碳纳米管的石墨化程度,但是也可能会引入新的缺陷。     

EDLC characteristics with high specific capacitance of the CNT electrodes grown on nanoporous alumina templates

Well-ordered nanoporous alumina templates were fabricated by two-step anodization method by applying a constant voltage of 40 V in oxalic acid solution or of 25 V in sulfuric acid solution. The cylindrical pore diameter and pore density of the templates utilized for the carbon nanotube (CNT) growth were 86 ± 5 nm and 1.2 × 10¹⁰ cm⁻² in oxalic acid solution and 53 ± 1 nm and 3.1 × 10¹⁰ cm⁻² in sulfuric acid solution, respectively. The CNTs with uniform diameter of 50 ± 10 nm (oxalic acid) and 44 ± 2 nm (sulfuric acid) were grown on the porous alumina template as electrode materials for the electrochemical double layer capacitor (EDLC). The EDLC characteristics were examined by measuring the capacitances from cyclic voltammograms and the charge–discharge curves. The specific capacitances of the CNT electrodes are 30 ± 1 F/g (Φ = 50 ± 10 nm) and 121 ± 5 F/g (Φ = 44 ± 2 nm). The high specific capacitance of the CNT electrode was achieved by using nanoporous alumina templates with the high pore density and the small and uniform pore diameter.     

Electronic structures of hydrogen functionalized carbon nanotube: Density functional theory (DFT) study

Electronic structures and formation mechanism of hydrogen functionalized carbon nanotube (CNT) have been investigated by means of density functional theory (DFT) method. The mechanism of hydrogen addition reaction to the CNT surface was also investigated. Pure and boron-nitrogen (BN) substituted CNT (denoted by CNT and BN-CNT, respectively) were examined as the carbon nanotubes. It was found that the additions of hydrogen atom to B (boron atom) and C (carbon atom) sites of BN-CNT proceed without activation barrier, whereas the hydrogenation of N (nitrogen atom) site needs the activation energy. The electronic states of hydrogen functionalized CNT and BN-CNT were discussed on the basis of theoretical results.     

The effect of electrophoretic deposition p-aminobenzenesulfonamide grafted CNT on mechanical properties of carbon fiber filled polyamide 6 composite

The surface treatment of carbon fiber is carried out by electrophoretic deposition of p-aminobenzenesulfonamide grafted carbon nanotube (CNT), and it is used as a reinforcement of polyamide 6. The monofilament tensile test and XPS were used to study the effect of p-aminobenzenesulfonamide concentration on the tensile strength and surface functional groups of carbon fiber monofilaments. The results show that the higher the p-aminobenzenesulfonamide concentration, the greater the decrease in the mechanical properties of carbon fibers, and the greater the content of oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface. It is preferred that carbon fiber and thermoplastic polyamide 6 with higher retention rate of monofilament tensile strength and rich oxygen-containing functional group content are made into composite materials, and the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) is evaluated.     

JRCAT – A Nanotechnology Center in Tsukuba

Joint Research Center for Atom Technology (JRCAT) and its Atom Technology Project are described. The project covers a wide range of research subjects; manipulation of atoms and molecules, formation of nanostructures of semiconductors, spin electronics and first-principles calculation of dynamic processes of atoms and molecules on solid-state surfaces. Several recent achievements on nanotechnology and nanoscience are roughly sketched.     

Structural Study of Micro and Nanotubes Synthesized by Rapid Thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition

The structures of micro and nanotubes obtained by pyrolysis of hydrocarbons, hold onto silicon (Si) substrates, are reported in this work. The tubes fabrication experiments were carried out by Rapid Thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition (RTCVD) using propane (C₃H₈) as carbon (C) precursor. Selection of parameters such as temperature of deposition, vacuum conditions or surface cleaning leads to the creation of tubular structures. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and energy dispersive X-ray measurements (EDX) are the microbeam techniques that allow to characterize the tubes found in the studied specimens. Different tube configurations such as isolated nanorods, Y-type junctions or fiber-like layers are evidenced. Metallic catalysis seems to be the mechanism involved in the wires formation since Fe particles are present inside the CNT tubes. Other poly-crystalline inclusions are also evidenced by SAED. The composition of the nanotubes changes from tip to tail in an amorphous matrix. The growth mechanisms leading to tube formation are described.     

Paper-based diagnostic platforms and devices

Paper-based analytical devices have become lately “must have” components in equipment and instrumental designed for point-of-care applications, especially when they are used in tandem with microfluidic platforms. Nowadays, paper-based electrochemical devices (PEDs) represent the first choice in the development of lab-on-a-chip biosensors because of their benefits in biomedical diagnosis in terms of simplicity, affordability, portability, and disposability. Moreover, cellulose is a biodegradable and biocompatible substrate, ideal for building disposable devices for use in remote locations or low-resource settings. Despite their low costs and simplicity, PEDs must face a tough challenge—meeting the affordable, sensitive, specific, user-friendly, rapid and robust, equipment-free, and deliverable to end users criteria. The latest achievements in microfluidic PEDs for clinical diagnosis will be critically discussed, putting emphasis on innovative assay formats and methods for surface modification.     

Surface molecular degradation of selected high performance polymer composites under low earth orbit environmental conditions

Carbon fibre (CF), carbon nanotube (CNT), nano-clay (NanoC), and 3D-glass (3DG) reinforced polymer composites were selected to undergo treatment with an accelerated Low Earth Orbit (LEO) simulated space environment. Surface degradation mechanisms of the selected polymer composites with different types of reinforcements are discussed. The extent of the oxidation reaction at the surface as a result of LEO exposure was linked to the increase in the intensity of the oxygen-containing ions, as revealed by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated that an increasing duration of surface treatment correlates with increasing oxygen concentration and decreasing carbon concentration. The degraded CF composite showed the least amount of oxygen (15.6%) and nitrogen (2.5%) on the surface, likely indicating less surface degradation. Further, XPS high resolution region scans showed decreases in the overall carbon concentration accompanied increases in oxygen-containing carbon species C-O, CO and O-CO; functional groups which are attributed to the LEO treatment of the composite materials. All the sample surfaces were eroded upon exposure to LEO conditions with erosion mostly confined to encapsulating epoxy resin.