Preparation of micelle-encapsulated single-wall and multi-wall carbon nanotubes with amphiphilic hyperbranched polymer

The hyperbranched polyester (Boltorn^TM H20) was modified by maleic anhydride and then polystyrene (H20-MAh-PSt) to form amphiphilic micelles in water. The single-wall and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs and MWCNTs, respectively) were encapsulated in the formed micelles through non-covalent interactions. The formed structures were confirmed by FTIR, NMR, GPC, and XPS analysis. The dispersion and aggregation behaviors were observed by TEM and UV-vis and Raman spectroscopic analysis. The results showed that the dispersion performance of the obtained micelle-encapsulated carbon nanotubes in water was greatly improved compared to the pure carbon nanotubes. From the TEM observation, the individual SWCNT structure and the uniform polymer coating around the surface of SWCNT were seen after crosslinking. The Raman spectroscopic measurements also demonstrated that for the crosslinked samples, no effect occurred associated with concentration-dependent carbon nanotube aggregation.     

Synthesis and characterization of sulfonated single-walled carbon nanotubes and their performance as solid acid catalyst

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were treated with sulfuric acid at 300 °C to synthesize sulfonated SWCNTs (s-SWCNTs), which were characterized by electron microscopy, infrared, Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and thermo analysis. Compared with activated carbon, more sulfonic acid groups can be introduced onto the surfaces of SWCNTs. The high degree (∼20 wt%) of surface sulfonation led to hydrophilic sidewalls that allows the SWCNTs to be uniformly dispersed in water and organic solvents. The high surface acidity of s-SWCNTs was demonstrated by NH₃ temperature-programmed desorption technique and tested by an acetic acid esterification reaction catalyzed by s-SWCNTs. The results show that the water-dispersive s-SWCNTs are an excellent solid acid catalyst and demonstrate the potential of SWCNTs in catalysis applications.     

The conversion of polyaniline nanotubes to nitrogen-containing carbon nanotubes and their comparison with multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Polyaniline (PANI) nanotubes were prepared by the oxidation of aniline in solutions of acetic or succinic acid, and subsequently carbonized in a nitrogen atmosphere during thermogravimetric analysis running up to 830 °C. The nanotubular morphology of PANI was preserved after carbonization. The molecular structure of the original PANI and of the carbonized products has been analyzed by FTIR and Raman spectroscopies. Carbonized PANI nanotubes contained about 8 wt.% of nitrogen. The molecular structure, thermal stability, and morphology of carbonized PANI nanotubes were compared with the properties of commercial multi-walled carbon nanotubes.     

全氟磺酸功能化碳纳米管的制备及其催化性能

采用全氟磺酸-全氟乙烯共聚物的液相沉积方法制备了全氟磺酸功能化碳纳米管催化剂,利用N2吸附、扫描电子显微镜、透射电子显微镜、傅里叶变换红外光谱以及酸碱滴定等方法对材料的结构和酸性进行了表征,考察了温度和溶剂对催化剂稳定性的影响.结果表明,催化剂在极性和非极性溶液中均十分稳定,并且具有良好的热稳定性,使用温度可达300°C.该催化剂在对苯二酚与叔丁醇的烷基化反应中表现出优异的催化性能,其催化活性与稳定性均高于聚苯乙烯磺酸功能化的碳纳米管催化剂.     

Synthesis of straight and helical carbon nanotubes from catalytic pyrolysis of polyethylene

Straight and helical carbon nanotubes with diameter from 20 to 60 nm have been synthesized through catalytic decomposition of polyethylene in autoclave at 700 °C. The X-ray power diffraction pattern indicates that the products are hexagonal graphite, and transmission electron microscope (TEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) images reveal the morphologies and structures of carbon nanotubes. The effects of reaction temperature, catalyst and maleated polypropylene on the growth of the carbon nanotubes were also discussed, and the growth mechanism of the CNTs was proposed. Pyrolysis of polyethylene is a promising green chemical method for economically producing carbon nanotubes.     

Raman spectra of hybrid materials based on carbon nanotubes and Cs3PMo12O40

A route for the synthesis of hybrid materials using multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTS) and Cs₃PMo₁₂O₄₀ was confirmed. The Cs₃PMo₁₂O₄₀ salt was synthesized from H₃PMo₁₂O₄₀·14H₂O and CsCl. All compounds were characterized by Raman spectroscopy. The synthesis method can produce a chemically stable Cs₃PMo₁₂O₄₀ molecule and pure and oxidized MWCNTS. Raman spectroscopy showed that the chemical interaction between MWCNTS and Cs₃PMo₁₂O₄₀ was essentially of electrostatic nature. Raman spectra obtained with different wavelengths showed thermal decomposition of H₃PMo₁₂O₄₀·14H₂O (raw materials) from laser heating process. On the contrary, the synthesized compound (i.e. Cs₃PMo₁₂O₄₀) was stable under the experimental conditions.     

Synthesis of nickel nanoparticles and carbon encapsulated nickel nanoparticles supported on carbon nanotubes

Nickel nanoparticles were prepared and uniformly supported on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by reduction route with CNTs as a reducing agent at 600 °C. As-prepared nickel nanoparticles were single crystalline with a face-center-cubic phase and a size distribution ranging from 10 to 50 nm, and they were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD). These nickel nanoparticles would be coated with graphene layers, when they were exposed to acetylene at 600 °C. The coercivity values of nickel nanoparticles were superior to that of bulk nickel at room temperature.     

Thermal behaviors of polyimide with plasma-modified carbon nanotubes

A series of plasma-modified carbon nanotubes with maleic anhydride (mCNT) based on polyimide (mCNT/PI) nanocomposites were prepared by a two-step method. The mCNT/PI nanocomposites exhibit excellent thermal properties owing to mCNT and its good dispersion in the polyimide matrix. The TEM patterns were proved to show dispersed behavior of mCNT in the PI matrix. By using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), thermogravimetric with infrared spectra (TGA-IR), we discuss the kinetic behavior during the degradation of nanocomposites. Then Ozawa and Kissinger's theorems were calculated based on the relationship between activation energy and mCNT content.     

Pore characterization of assembly-structure controlled single wall carbon nanotube

Single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT), which has bundle structure and entangled structure, was untangled and cut by sonication in hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) solution. The untangled state of SWCNT was examined by SEM, TEM, Raman spectroscopy and N₂ adsorption. It was confirmed that the surface area of sonicated nanotubes strongly depended on the sonication time. The BET specific surface area (SSA) of nanotubes sonicated for 3 h was maximum. The SSA decreased at 6 h or more of sonication time. These results indicated that the bundle structure was untangled and the cap of SWCNT was opened. Thus, N₂ molecules can access the most efficiently inside of the SWCNT sonicated for 3 h. On the contrary, the sonication treatment for 6 h or more decomposed the nanotubes to produce amorphous carbon, evidenced by TEM and SEM observation; the amorphous carbon blocked the open pore sites such as the internal pore spaces and interstitial pores.     

Hydrogen adsorption in defected carbon nanotubes

Recently there has been lot of interest in the development of hydrogen storage in various systems for the large-scale application of fuel cells, mobiles and for automotive uses. Hectic materials research is going on throughout the world with various adsorption mechanisms to increase the storage capacity. It was observed that physisorption proves to be an effective way for this purpose. Some of the materials in this race include graphite, zeolite, carbon fibers and nanotubes. Among all these, the versatile material carbon nanotube (CNT) has a number of favorable points like porous nature, high surface area, hollowness, high stability and light weight, which facilitate the hydrogen adsorption in both outer and inner portions. In this work we have considered armchair (5,5), zig zag (10,0) and chiral tubes (8,2) and (6,4) with and without structural defects to study the physisorption of hydrogen on the surface of carbon nanotubes using DFT calculations. For two different H₂ configurations, adsorption binding energies are estimated both for defect free and defected carbon nanotubes. We could observe larger adsorption energies for the configuration in which the hydrogen molecular axis perpendicular to the hexagonal carbon ring than for parallel to C–C bond configuration corresponding to the defect free nanotubes. For defected tubes the adsorption energies are calculated for various configurations such as molecular axis perpendicular to a defect site octagon and parallel to C–C bond of octagon and another case where the axis perpendicular to hexagon in defected tube. The adsorption binding energy values are compared with defect free case. The results are discussed in detail for hydrogen storage applications.     

Electrosynthesis of the poly(N-vinyl carbazole)/carbon nanotubes composite for applications in the supercapacitors field

Electrochemical polymerization of N-vinyl carbazole (VK) on carbon nanotube (CN) films was studied by cyclic voltammetry in LiClO₄/acetonitrile solutions. Cyclic voltammograms recorded on a blank Pt electrode were compared with those obtained when single or multi-walled CN films were deposited on the Pt electrode; in the latter case, a down-shift of the VK reduction peak potential was observed. Functionalization of CNs with poly(N-vinyl carbazole) (PVK) was invoked by Raman scattering and UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopic studies. The influence of sweep rate on the electrochemical properties of the PVK/CN nanocomposite and the performance of supercapacitors constructed using PVK-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotube electrodes were also evaluated.     

Lithium insertion into chemically etched multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Lithium insertion (deinsertion) into (from) chemically etched multi-walled carbon nanotubes (c-MWNTs) has been investigated using various electrochemical techniques such as chronopotentiometry, chronoamperometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results indicate that not only the reversible capacity but also the rate capability was improved by a chemical etching (shortening) of the nanotubes. The observed enhancement in capability at high-rate lithium insertion/deinsertion is attributed to the increased electrochemically active area and reduced lithium diffusion length along the nanotubes, resulting from the structural defects and open ends of the c-MWNTs.     

Sensing properties of polyethylenimine coated carbon nanotubes in oxidized oil

Chemical detection is still a continuous challenge when it comes to designing single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) sensors with high selectivity, especially in complex chemical environments. A perfect example of such an environment would be in thermally oxidized soybean oil. At elevated temperatures, oil oxidizes through a series of chemical reactions that results in the formation of monoacylglycerols, diacylglycerols, oxidized triacylglycerols, dimers, trimers, polymers, free fatty acids, ketones, aldehydes, alcohols, esters, and other minor products. In order to detect the rancidity of oxidized soybean oil, carbon nanotube chemiresistor sensors have been coated with polyethylenimine (PEI) to enhance the sensitivity and selectivity. PEI functionalized SWCNTs are known to have a high selectivity towards strong electron withdrawing molecules. The sensors were very responsive to different oil oxidation levels and furthermore, displayed a rapid recovery of more than 90% in ambient air without the need of heating or UV exposure.     

单分散Ni簇锚定在CN上用于高效光催化析氢

利用太阳光在常温常压下驱动光催化反应高效进行是解决人类面临的能源、环境问题从而实现绿色化学的理想方案之一.然而,兼顾效率、成本和稳定性的高性能光催化体系的研究依然存在巨大的挑战.石墨氮化碳(g-C3N4)基光催化剂由于高稳定性、无毒无害和适合的能带结构,在光催化制氢方面存在巨大潜力.然而,表面的慢反应速率导致了光生电子...     

Modifications of carbon nanotubes with polymers

The chemical functionalizations of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) could enhance their chemical compatibility and dissolution properties, which enable both a more extensive characterization and subsequent chemical reactivity. The modifications with polymers could not only improve CNTs’ solubility and dispersibility but also the interfacial interaction to polymeric matrices in its composites. The main methods for the modification of CNTs with polymers are noncovalent attachment (polymer wrapping and absorption) and covalent attachment (“grafting to”and “grafting from”). The current states of the literatures in the field are presented in this review.     

Bulk polymerized polystyrene in the presence of multiwalled carbon nanotubes

The in situ bulk polymerization method was applied to synthesize composites of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and polystyrene (PS) under ultrasonication to open π-bonds in the MWNTs. Morphology of the composite products was studied by both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Thermal properties and molecular weight of the PS synthesized in the presence of the MWNTs were examined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC), respectively. The MWNTs were observed to play an important role as initiator consumers during the polymerization reaction. Electrical conductivity of a film-type sample of the PS/MWNT nanocomposite was found to increase with increased amount of MWNTs added, following the percolation theory.     

Sodium Carboxyl Methyl Cellulose for Improvement of the Determination of Polyethylene Glycol Modified Carbon Nanotubes by Raman Spectroscopy

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have shown great potential in various areas of biomedicine. However, few research studies have focused on in vivo carbon nanotube detection by Raman spectroscopy. In this work, SWNTs were functionalized with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to form PEG-o-SWNTs to improve the biocompatibility and dispersibility. A novel application of Raman scattering was used to detect the PEG-o-SWNTs. Compared to the traditional assay method, the recovery rate was improved from 84.2% to 102.7%, the correlation coefficient of the standard curve increased from 0.7315 to 0.9872, and the degree of precision decreased from 4.4% to 3.1%. Large errors in the measured results were found the cryopreserved blood and organ samples in which the reticular sediments separated, on which the nanotubes generally concentrate. It was determined that by achieving a final concentration of 0.5% through the addition of sodium carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC-Na), the homogeneity of the tested sample can be greatly enhanced, thus boosting the accuracy of the analyses. This work offers methods with higher accuracy for determining the presence of PEG-o-SWNTs in blood and organs using Raman spectroscopy.     

Characterization of the chemical interaction between single-walled carbon nanotubes and titanium dioxide nanoparticles by thermogravimetric analyses and resonance Raman spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy is a powerful technique that is used to characterize or observe alterations in the structure or properties of carbon nanotubes and its composites. This method can provide information about electronic changes or quantify them. We used Raman spectroscopy to study the chemical and electronic changes in a composite formed by titanium dioxide nanoparticles and single-walled carbon nanotubes. This composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy to investigate the morphology and by thermogravimetric analyses to assess the thermal stability of the isolated carbon nanotubes as compared with the nanotubes by titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The Raman results showed that the modification of the nanotubes with the TiO₂ nanoparticles generates a new material with different structure of the nanotubes, resulting in a decrease in defects. The charge transfer from the TiO₂ nanoparticles to the nanotubes alters the electronic properties of both moieties in the hybrid material. The interaction between the nanotubes and nanoparticles decreases the CC bound order of the nanotubes and decreases their thermal stability.     

Controllable preparation and properties of composite materials based on ceria nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes

We report a method to prepare composites based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and CeO₂ nanoparticles (NPs). The CeO₂ NPs were attached to CNTs by hydrothermal treatment of Ce(OH)₄/CNT mixture in NaOH solution at 180 °C. It was found that larger CeO₂ NPs were formed in the presence of CNTs. Grain size of CeO₂ NPs in the composites can be reduced when NaNO₃ was added in the hydrothermal process. Electrochemical characterizations have shown that the composites possess a specific capacity between those of CNTs and CNTs mechanically mixed with CeO₂. These CeO₂/CNT composites could serve as promising anode materials for Li-ion batteries.     

Amino-functionalized carbon nanotubes as nucleophilic scavengers in solution phase combinatorial synthesis

A versatile method for fast scavenging a variety of electrophiles using carbon nanotubes functionalized by amino groups (CNT-NH₂) is reported. Following the scavenging event, CNT-NH₂ can be easily separated from the reaction mixture by filtration, leaving the desired products in excellent yields and purities.