Electrical properties and glass transition temperature of multiwalled carbon nanotube/polyaniline composites

Polyaniline (PANI) was synthesized and doped with 0, 2, 4 and 16 wt.% of pure and functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by “in-situ” polymerization. Measurement of temperature dependence of electrical resistivity showed a reduction in the resistivity of the composites at all temperatures. The reduction was increased by increasing the wt.% of MWCNTs. This decrease was more for the composites containing functionalized MWCNTs and was more prominent for temperatures below 150 K. The glass transition temperature (T_g) of the pure and doped PANI was measured using electrical resistivity measurements. It was observed that by increasing the amount of functionalized MWCNTs in PANI, its T_g increases. Temperature dependence of resistivity of pressed pure PANI showed that by increasing the pelletization pressure, the bulk electrical resistivity decreased but the T_g increased.     

Dielectric relaxation of 4-cyano-4-n-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) thin layer adsorbed on carbon nanotube – MD simulation

The ultra-thin layer of mesogenous molecules 5CB adsorbed on a single walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) has been studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method. The focus was on the temperature dependence (200 K < T < 350 K) and time evolution of the total dipole moment autocorrelation function. The frequency dependence of the dielectric loss of ultra-thin mesogene layer covering carbon nanotube has been also studied. The layer reveals a non-Debye dielectric relaxation. The shape of dielectric loss spectrum significantly depends on the temperature of the system studied.     

An experimental and CFD study on gas flow field distribution in the growth process of multi‐walled carbon nanotube arrays by thermal chemical vapor deposition

Multi‐walled carbon nanotube arrays (MWCNTAs) were grown by thermal chemical vapor deposition (TCVD) in a horizontal furnace reactor. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results show that MWCNTAs grown on the bottom and the central of the quartz tube are different in one experiment. Moreover, the MWCNTAs grown on the central position are more aligned and longer than those on the bottom. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was employed to investigate the gas flow field impact on the MWCNTAs growth. The results show that gas circulations appear after carrier gas and carbon source are injected into the quartz tube. Because of the existence of gas circulations, the gas flow field at the central of the quartz tube is more stable, which is conducive to the growth of MWCNTAs. The CFD simulation results match well with the experimental data.     

One-dimensional SnF2 single crystals in the inner channels of single-wall carbon nanotubes: II. Structure and nanocomposite construction modeling

A structural model of the nanocomposite consisting of one-dimensional (1D) α-SnF₂ single crystals and single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is proposed. The main cationic motif is revealed in the structure of monoclinic modification: two-layer packing of tin cations along the [283] direction. Four theoretical structural projections of a 1D crystal on the plane parallel to the [283] direction are determined and described. A fragment of the α-SnF₂ structure in an SWCNT (with a channel diameter of 1.02 nm) is calculated. High-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) images are modeled. These images correspond to the actually observed HREM patterns.     

Electrolyte influence on the anodic synthesis of TiO2 nanotube arrays

We report on the structural and morphological features of self-aligned titanium oxide nanotube arrays grown by electrochemical anodization in different electrolytes comprising aqueous acidic media or organic neutral media, and at several potentiostatic voltages ranging between 12 and 60 V. The results show an improvement in the self-alignment of the nanotube arrays and an increase of about 10,000% in the nanotubes length obtained by anodization performed with NH₄F in ethylene glycol electrolyte, respect to the case obtained employing the aqueous electrolytes.     

Broadband terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and low-frequency Raman scattering of glassy polymers: Boson peak of PMMA

The low-energy vibrational properties of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were studied by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and Raman scattering. The real and imaginary parts of a complex dielectric constant were accurately determined in the frequency range from 0.2 to 5.0 THz. The imaginary part of the dielectric constant shows a line-shape similar to the imaginary part of the Raman susceptibility measured by Raman scattering. These two spectra show broad peaks at about 2.3 THz. We also separately determined the Raman and far-infrared light-vibration coupling constants of the PMMA using the vibrational density of states determined by cold neutron inelastic scattering in the literature.     

The growth of carbon nanostructures on cobalt-doped carbon aerogels

By carbonizing cobalt-doped aerogel precursors directly at various temperatures, or by carbon monoxide decomposition of cobalt-doped carbon aerogels, different carbon nano-features such as carbon nano-filaments and graphitic nano-ribbons were grown on cobalt-doped carbon aerogel samples. Transmission electron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction characterization results showed that metallic cobalt nano-particles form when heating the cobalt-doped aerogel samples over 500 °C. At low heating temperature, many highly oriented carbon thin films can be found on metallic cobalt nano-particles. When heating the samples at 850 °C, some carbon nano-filaments are obtained. While heating the samples at 1050 °C, many graphitic nano-ribbons are grown and the framework of the interconnected carbon particles of the sample is changed. Graphitic nano-ribbons can also be grown by CO decomposition of the cobalt-doped carbon aerogels. We can therefore control and modify the nanostructures of cobalt-doped carbon aerogels by heating them at different temperatures or by using CO decomposition.     

Studies of hydrogen interaction with carbon deposit containing carbon nanotubes

Nanocarbon materials were obtained by catalytic decomposition of ethylene on nanocrystalline iron at 500 and 550 °C. The increase in the carbon mass was controlled using the thermogravimetric method. After synthesis the samples were analyzed using the HRTEM and X-ray diffraction methods and contained iron carbide (cementite) and nanocarbon materials (carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotubes and amorphous carbon). Cementite crystallites were observed at the end of filamentous structures. In order to remove amorphous carbon and thick carbon nanofibers the samples were reduced under hydrogen atmosphere. As a result of the hydrogenation treatment, the cementite was decomposed into iron and carbon. The samples contained mainly multi-walled carbon nanotubes with open ends and had diameters in the range of approx. 10–30 nm.     

Multiscale modeling of arsenic selenide glass

We develop model interaction potentials for the binary As–Se system using ab initio molecular simulations and a cluster expansion technique. These potentials are used with classical Monte Carlo simulations to characterize the structure of As₂Se₃, AsSe₂, and AsSe glasses. Finally, we compute the fraction of soft modes in the As–Se system as a function of average coordination number. The results show evidence of a rigidity percolation threshold at an average coordination number between 2.3 and 2.4.     

Controllable synthesis of well‐aligned CuO nanotube arrays using porous alumina templates

In order to further enhance the performance of CuO in currently existing applications, well‐aligned CuO nanotube arrays with different diameters were fabricated. During the synthesis process, porous anodic alumina films were fabricated, and then the synthesis of CuO nanotube arrays was realized by using the obtained porous anodic alumina films as templates. The morphology and structure of the obtained products has been confirmed by field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction measurements. Due to the large surface area of the synthesized products, the prepared CuO nanotube arrays may have potential applications in catalyzing and gas sensing area.     

Densification modeling of fused silica under nanoindentation

Fused silica is the reference material used for estimating the area function of nanoindenter tips. Despite being a fundamental step in nanoindentation, little has been done to study its deformation. Under a complex state of stress during indentation, fused silica densifies pointing out that the hydrostatic stress contributes to its yielding. A linear Drucker–Prager model is successfully employed to describe fused silica deformation. Real tip geometry obtained from Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is utilized to numerically simulate the area calibration process. Our results indicate a significant discrepancy between the tip area input into our simulation and the one obtained by the calibration process. This implies that the estimated area is not an intensive property of the indenter tip but a convolution of the indenter geometry by the fused silica deformation characteristics and as such may produce erroneous values when used on other materials.     

Micro/macro modeling of CVD synthesis

We propose a CVD reaction scheme in which a source material undergoes a gas-phase reaction to produce an intermediate, and then the intermediate diffuses to the solid surface and changes into a solid film through a surface reaction. A series of simple Monte Carlo (SMC) codes has been developed to simulate the observed film shape on micro-trenches and holes. By using these codes, surface reaction rate constants were determined so as to reproduce the experimentally observed film shape. By means of a macro-scale reactive transport analysis of a hot wall tubular reactor, gas-phase reaction rate constants for single component systems were determined to simulate the experimental growth rate distributions. The composition and growth rate of Yttria stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) film, a solid solution of Yttria and Zirconia, were qualitatively explained by a sum of single component's growth rates. As an application of these reaction models, we simulated a rotating-disk CVD reactor under low pressure. The simulations based on a quasi three-dimensional model revealed that the susceptor rotation suppresses the buoyancy convection and forms steeper gradients in temperature and concentration near the susceptor uniformly over wide area. At higher temperatures, the growth rate increased with rotation speed, but at lower temperatures the growth rate decreased with increasing rotation speed because the reduced retention time in the high-temperature region suppressed the gas-phase reaction.     

Discrete modeling of homometric and isovector divisions

As a further development of the method of discrete modeling of packings, the uniqueness of the division of the packing spaces into homometric (isovector) polyominoes is studied on the basis of the relation between the basic and vector systems of points. The particular criterion of the packing-space division based on the concept of the isovector nature of polyominoes with different numbers of points is formulated.     

Solvothermal growth of highly oriented wurtzite‐structured ZnO nanotube arrays on zinc foil

ZnO nanotube arrays were synthesized on zinc foil by a simple solvothermal approach. In this approach, zinc foil was used not only as a substrate but also as a zinc‐ion source for the direct growth of ZnO nanotube arrays. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, indicated that the structure of the ZnO nanotube arrays on the zinc foil substrate was single‐crystalline with a wurtzite structure. The optical properties of the ZnO nanorod arrays were characterized by photoluminescence spectroscopies and Raman. Photoluminescence exhibited strong UV emission and a broad deep‐level (visible) emission emission at with 325 nm excitation. A possible mechanism is also proposed to account for the growth of the ZnO nanotube arrays. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Electron microscopy of carbon nanotubes

High-resolution electron microscopy was used to study multiwall carbon nanotubes obtained by the arc-discharge technique and double-and single-wall nanotubes produced by the arc-discharge catalytic synthesis. The structure of conical layer nanotubes obtained by the CVD technique is characterized in detail. It is established that heat treatment of nanotubes gives rise to their structural changes. The structure of nanotubes obtained by carbon evaporation in the N₂-Ar atmosphere under high pressure is determined. A new type of nano-and microtubes with surface-modulated walls is revealed. Possible applications of carbon nanotubes are reviewed.     

Electrical conductivity improvement of aeronautical carbon fiber reinforced polyepoxy composites by insertion of carbon nanotubes

An increase and homogenization of electrical conductivity is essential in epoxy carbon fiber laminar aeronautical composites. Dynamic conductivity measurements have shown a very poor transversal conductivity. Double wall carbon nanotubes have been introduced into the epoxy matrix to increase the electrical conductivity. The conductivity and the degree of dispersion of carbon nanotubes in epoxy matrix were evaluated. The epoxy matrix was filled with 0.4 wt.% of CNTs to establish the percolation threshold. A very low value of carbon nanotubes is crucial to maintain the mechanical properties and avoid an overload of the composite weight. The final carbon fiber aeronautical composite realized with the carbon nanotubes epoxy filled was studied. The conductivity measurements have shown a large increase of the transversal electrical conductivity. The percolative network has been established and scanning electron microscopy images confirm the presence of the carbon nanotube conductive pathway in the carbon fiber ply. The transversal bulk conductivity has been homogenized and improved to 10^? 1 S·m^? 1 for a carbon nanotubes loading near 0.12 wt.%.     

Fabrication of free‐standing TiO2 nanotube membranes with through‐hole morphology

In the present work, we show a simple and robust ex‐situ method to fabricate free‐standing membranes consisting of vertically oriented, both‐side‐open TiO₂ nanotube arrays. In this method, self‐organized TiO₂ nanotube membranes with different thickness ranging from seven to tens of micrometers could be easily separated from the metallic Ti substrate by applying a reverse‐bias voltage at the end of anodization. The stress developing at the TiO₂ nanotubes/Ti interface during H₂ gas generation facilitates the separation of the TiO₂ membranes. This procedure leads to an intact, free‐standing TiO₂ nanotube membrane with closed bottoms. After exposing the TiO₂ membrane to HF vapor, the barrier layer at the closed bottoms was etched away, and then a free‐standing TiO₂ membrane with through‐hole morphology was obtained. The bottom‐opening process is a slow barrier layer thinning process. Meanwhile, it is found that the mean diameter of tube bottoms monotonously decreases with the increasing the etching time.     

Microscopic modeling of the optical properties of semiconductor nanostructures

A brief overview of a consistent microscopic approach to model the optical and electronic properties of semiconductor nanostructures is presented. Coupled semiconductor Bloch and Maxwell equations are used to investigate the performance of semiconductor microcavity structures, photonic band gap systems, and lasers. The predictive potential of the microscopic theory is demonstrated for several examples of practical importance. Optical gain and output characteristics are computed for modern vertical external cavity surface emitting laser structures. It is shown how design flexibilities can be used to optimize the device performance. Nanostructures are proposed where semiconductor quantum wells are embedded in one-dimensional photonic crystals. For field modes spectrally below the photonic band edge it is shown that the optical gain and absorption can be enhanced by more than one order of magnitude over the value of the homogeneous medium. The increased gain can be used for laser action by placing quantum wells and a suitably designed photonic crystal structure inside a microcavity.