A Review Featuring Fabrication,Properties and Applications of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) Reinforced Polymer and Epoxy Nanocomposites

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have long been recognized as the stiffest and strongest man-made material known to date.In addition,their high electrical conductivity has roused interest in the areas of electrical appliances and communication related applications.However,due to their miniature size,the excellent properties of these nanostructures can only be exploited if they are homogeneously embedded into light-weight matrices as those offered by a whole series of engineering polymers.In order to enhance their chemical affinity to engineering polymer matrices,chemical modification of the graphitic sidewalls and tips is necessary.The mechanical and electrical properties to date of a whole range of nanocomposites of various carbon nanotube contents are also reviewed in this attempt to facilitate progress in this emerging area.Recently,carbonaceous nano-fillers such as graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) play a promising role due to their better structural and functional properties and broad range of applications in every field.Since CNTs usually form stabilized bundles due to van der Waals interactions,they are extremely difficult to disperse and align in a polymer matrix.The biggest issues in the preparation of CNTs reinforced composites reside in efficient dispersion of CNTs into a polymer matrix,the assessment of the dispersion,and the alignment and control of the CNTs in the matrix.An overview of various CNT functionalization methods is given.In particular,CNT functionalization using click chemistry and the preparation of CNT composites employing hyperbranched polymers are stressed as potential techniques to achieve good CNT dispersion.In addition,discussions on mechanical,thermal,electrical,electrochemical and applications ofpolymer/CNT composites are also included.     

Salting out in organic solvents: a new route to carbon nanotube bundle engineering

In this study we investigate salt effects on bundle formation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) dispersed in an organic solvent, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). Addition of NaI salt leads to self-assembly of CNTs into well-recognizable bundles. It is possible to control the size of the CNT bundles by varying the salt concentration.     

Investigation of the Orientation in Composite Fibers of Polycarbonate with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes by Raman Microscopy

The superior association of the inherent good mechanical and electrical properties makes carbon nanotubes (CNT) exceptionally interesting for the production of composite fibers of thermoplastic polymers with CNT. Alignment of the CNT in the polymer fiber is important for improved mechanical properties. Especially the production of fibers makes it necessary to get a controlled orientation and/or alignment of the CNT. We applied transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and polarized Raman microscopy to quantify multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) orientation, alignment and crystallinity in polycarbonate (PC). The evaluation of the Raman measurements provided an improved alignment orientation of the MWNT in the fibers with increasing take-up velocity during melt spinning and that the crystal structure of the MWNT is not changed through melt spinning.     

Effects of multiwalled carbon nanotube on holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal

The morphology and electro‐optical performance of holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) were investigated with the addition of multiwalled carbon nanotube (CNT), both pristine and chemically modified one (CNT‐C?C). With the addition of CNT, the diffraction efficiency increased and showed a maximum at 0.6% while nucleation was delayed due to the increased mixture viscosity. Film was driven only with CNT due to the induced local electric field of polymer to overcome the threshold resistance. Among the two types of CNT, chemically modified one gave finer CNT dispersion, lower mixture viscosity, larger liquid crystal (LC) droplet, higher diffraction efficiency, and shorter response time while the pristine CNT decreased the driving voltage. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nanoparticle‐Assisted Alignment of Carbon Nanotubes on DNA Origami

Aligning carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is a key challenge for fabricating CNT‐based electronic devices. Herein, we report a spherical nucleic acid (SNA) mediated approach for the highly precise alignment of CNTs at prescribed sites on DNA origami. We find that the cooperative DNA hybridization occurring at the interface of SNA and DNA‐coated CNTs leads to an approximately five‐fold improvement of the positioning efficiency. By combining this with the intrinsic positioning addressability of DNA origami, CNTs can be aligned in parallel with an extremely small angular variation of within 10°. Moreover, we demonstrate that the parallel alignment of CNTs prevents incorrect logic functionality originating from stray conducting paths formed by misaligned CNTs. This SNA‐mediated method thus holds great potential for fabricating scalable CNT arrays for nanoelectronics.     

Preparation of Carbon Nanowall and Carbon Nanotube for Anode Material of Lithium-Ion Battery

Carbon nanowall (CNW) and carbon nanotube (CNT) were prepared as anode materials of lithium-ion batteries. To fabricate a lithium-ion battery, copper (Cu) foil was cleaned using an ultrasonic cleaner in a solvent such as trichloroethylene (TCE) and used as a substrate. CNW and CNT were synthesized on Cu foil using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and water dispersion, respectively. CNW and CNT were used as anode materials for the lithium-ion battery, while lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF₆) was used as an electrolyte to fabricate another lithium-ion battery. For the structural analysis of CNW and CNT, field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and Raman spectroscopy analysis were performed. The Raman analysis showed that the carbon nanotube in composite material can compensate for the defects of the carbon nanowall. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was employed for the electrochemical properties of lithium-ion batteries, fabricated by CNW and CNT, respectively. The specific capacity of CNW and CNT were calculated as 62.4 mAh/g and 49.54 mAh/g. The composite material with CNW and CNT having a specific capacity measured at 64.94 mAh/g, delivered the optimal performance.     

Flow cytometry-based evaluation and enrichment of multiwalled carbon nanotube dispersions

The uniform aqueous dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is a vital but challenging task required for their utilization in most technologies. We propose and demonstrate a technique based on forward- and side-scatter analysis on a flow cytometer to characterize the components in a dispersion of multiwalled CNTs (MWCNTs). The method simultaneously distinguishes various MWCNT components such as short and long CNTs, nanotube bundles, and particulates. It also detects the emergence of new CNT populations as a result of centrifugation. We use this method, together with classical methods such as UV and Raman spectroscopy, to observe and study the multistep MWCNT dispersion process in various surfactants (Pluronic, Triton X-100, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide). On the basis of the distinct scatter patterns obtained, we confirm and elaborate the surfactant-assisted unzipping mechanism of MWCNT dispersion. We also show that the ultrasonic energy spent after MWCNT unbundling and unwinding can be minimized and the process optimized for each surfactant by correct end point detection through scatter analysis. The ability to enrich nanotube population in dispersion by using the sorting mode of a flow cytometer is confirmed by electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. This method can thus be used for observing and enriching MWCNT components and as a complementary technique to UV spectroscopy for studying and optimizing MWCNT dispersion in surfactants.     

A Novel Carbon Nanotube-Supported NiP Amorphous Alloy Catalyst and Its Hydrogenation Activity

A carbon nanotube-supported NiP amorphous catalyst (NiP/CNT) was prepared by induced reduction. Benzene hydrogenation was used as a probe reaction for the study of catalytic activity. The effects of the support on the activity and thermal stability of the supported catalyst were discussed based on various characterizations, including XRD, TEM, ICP, XPS, H2-TPD, and DTA. In comparison with the NiP amorphous alloy, the benzene conversion on NiP/CNT catalyst was lower, but the specific activity of NiP/CNT was higher, which is attributed to the dispersion produced by the support, an electron-donating effect, and the hydrogen-storage ability of CNT. The NiP/CNT thermal stability was improved because of the dispersion and electronic effects and the good heat-conduction ability of the CNT support.     

Review of recent studies on interactions between polymers and nanotubes using molecular dynamic simulation

Nanotubes have extraordinary properties, which have attracted the attention of many researchers from diverse fields. The interaction between carbon nanotube (CNT) or boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) and polymer/copolymer/surfactant has shown potential improvement in properties and performance. This paper reviews the recent studies in this field obtained from molecular dynamics simulation calculations, focusing on the interaction energies between nanostructure and polymer, radial distribution function, diffusion and radius of gyration and some other physical chemistry properties. Recent studies show that the intermolecular interaction in mentioned systems is strongly influenced by the specific monomer structure of polymers. The high values of intermolecular interaction energy of such composites offer that an efficient load transfer exists at the interface between nanotube and polymer, which is of a key role in the composite reinforcement practical applications. Our study reviewed the possibility of wrapping CNT/BNNT/CNT bundles by polymers and also the effects of CNTs/CNT bundles’ length on the conformational behavior of polymer adsorbed on these nanostructures.     

Electrical and melt rheological characterization of PC and co‐continuous PC/SAN blends filled with CNTs: Relationship between melt‐mixing parameters,filler dispersion,and filler aspect ratio

Electrical and melt rheological properties of melt‐mixed polycarbonate (PC) and co‐continuous PC/poly(styrene–acrylonitrile) (SAN) blends with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are investigated. Using two sets of mixing parameters, different states of filler dispersion are obtained. With increasing CNT dispersion, an increase in electrical resistivity near the percolation threshold of PC–CNT composites and (PC + CNT)/SAN blends is observed. This suggests that the higher mixing energies required for better dispersion also result in a more severe reduction of the CNT aspect ratio; this effect was proven by CNT length measurements. Melt rheological studies show higher reinforcing effects for composites with worse dispersion. The Eilers equation, describing the melt viscosity as function of filler content, was used to fit the data and to obtain information about an apparent aspect ratio change, which was in accordance with measured CNT length reduction. Such fitting could be also transferred to the blends and serves for a qualitatively based discussion. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018 , 56, 79–88     

Fundamental study of crystallization,orientation, and electrical conductivity of electrospun PET/carbon nanotube nanofibers

The morphology, structure, and properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) conductive nanoweb were studied in this article. Nanocomposite nanofibers were obtained through electrospinning of PET solutions in trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)/dichloromethane (DCM) containing different concentrations and types of CNTs. Electrical conductivity measurements on nanofiber mats showed an electrical percolation threshold around 2 wt % multi‐wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). The morphological analysis results showed smoother nanofibers with less bead structures development when using a rotating drum collector especially at high concentrations of CNTs. From crystallographic measurements, a higher degree of crystallinity was observed with increasing CNT concentrations above electrical percolation. Spectroscopy results showed that both PET and CNT orientation increased with the level of alignment of the nanofibers when the nanotube concentration was below the electrical percolation threshold; while the orientation factor was reduced for aligned nanofibers with higher content in CNT. Considerable enhancement in mechanical properties, especially tensile modulus, was found in aligned nanofibers; at least six times higher than the modulus of random nanofibers at concentrations below percolation. The effect of alignment on the mechanical properties was less important at higher concentrations of CNTs, above the percolation threshold. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 2052–2064, 2010     

Flexural,impact, rheological and physical characterizations of POM reinforced by carbon nanotubes and paraffin oil

The paraffin oil dispersion technique innovated in the recent years to synthesize bulk polymer nanocomposite materials has a uniform dispersion. This research work aims to study the effect of added carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on flexural, impact and rheology behaviors of polyoxymethylene (POM) reinforced by 0–0.03 wt% of CNT using paraffin oil dispersion technique. The wettability and lamellar thickness were measured and rheological performance investigated using a parallel plate rheometer. The flexural and impact mechanical properties were also evaluated. The fracture surfaces were then examined by microscopy. The results showed that the energy to break, flexural strength and modulus increased proportionally with the addition of the amount of CNT in the matrix. For the rheology behavior, the viscosity decreased at the low percentage of CNT and then increased with increase in the percentage weight ratio of CNT in the POM matrix. It was also noted that the water contact angle rose with the increase the CNT percentages. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bulk synthesis of linear carbon chains confined inside single-wall carbon nanotubes by vacuum discharge

Carbyne, an infinite carbon chain, has attracted much interest and induced significant controversy for many decades. Recently, the presence of linear carbon chains (LCCs), which were confined stably inside double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), has been reported. In this study, we present a novel method to produce LCCs in a film of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Our transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy revealed the formation of a bulk amount of LCCs after electric discharge of CNT films, which were used as field emission cathodes. The LCCs were confined inside single-wall CNTs as well as DWCNTs. Furthermore, two or three LCCs in parallel with each other are encapsulated when the inner diameter of CNT is larger than approximately 1.1 nm.     

Kinetics and Mechanism Studies on Dispersion of CNT in SDS Aqueous Solutions

The objects of this research are to study the dispersion of CNT (carbon nanotube) in SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) aqueous solutions with kinetics approach and to obtain some information about mechanism for this dispersion. Firstly, I measured the UV‐visible absorption at 260 nm of CNT in SDS aqueous solutions after different time of dispersion for different concentrations of CNT and SDS. Then, curves of the time‐dependent absorbance were analyzed by various mathematical models and were found to fit well with equation of A = A∞ exp(‐k_obs t), where A∞ is the absorbance at infinite time and k_obs is the observed rate constant. The values of A∞, k_obs, and, minimum time for dispersion can be obtained. From the effects of concentrations of SDS and CNT on A∞ and k_obs, the dissociation constant for CNT‐SDS complex and the optimum ratio of [CNT]/[SDS] can be estimated. Finally, the mechanism for this dispersion may be proposed as” where b‐CNT, CNT, CNT‐SDS, and, k_i s are bounded CNT, exfoliated CNT, CNT‐SDS complex, and, the rate constants, respectively. In this mechanism, b‐CNT is firstly unbounded by supersonic energy to form CNT intermediate with rate constant of k₁, which is proportional to the supersonic energy per time. The CNT intermediate then recombines to form b‐CNT with rate constant k_?1[CNT] or reacts with SDS to form CNT‐SDS complex, which has absorbance at 260 nm in UV‐visible spectrum, with rate constant of k₂ [SDS]. Details of kinetics and mechanism will be discussed in this paper.     

States of Carbon Nanotube Supported Mo-Based HDS Catalysts

The dispersion of the active phase and loading capacity of the Mo species on carbon nanotube (CNT) was studied by the XRD technique. The reducibility properties of Co-Mo catalysts in the oxide state over CNTs were investigated by TPR, while the sulfided Co-Mo/CNT catalysts were characterized by means of the XRD and LRS techniques. The activity and selectivity with respect to the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) performances on carbon nanotube supported Co-Mo catalysts were evaluated. It was found that the main active molybdenum species in the oxide state MoO3/CNT catalysts were MoO2, but not MoO3, as generally expected. The maximum loading before the formation of the bulk phase was lower than 6% (percent by mass, based on MoO3). TPR studies revealed that the active species in the oxide state Co-Mo/CNT catalysts were reduced more easily at relatively lower temperatures in comparison to those of the Co-Mo/γ-Al2O3 catalysts, indicating that the CNT support promoted or favored the reduction of the active species. The active species of a Co-Mo-0.7/CNT catalyst were more easily reduced than those of the Co-Mo/CNT catalysts with Co/Mo atomic ratios of 0.2, 0.35, and 0.5, respectively, suggesting that the Co/Mo atomic ratio has a great effect on the reducibility of the active species. It was found that the incorporation of cobalt improved the dispersion of the molybdenum species on the support, and a phenomenon of mobilization and re-dispersion had occurred during the sulfurization process, resulting in low valence state Mo3S4 and Co-MoS2.17 active phases. HDS measurements showed that the Co-Mo/CNT catalysts were more active than the Co-Mo/γ-Al2O3 ones for the desulfurization of DBT, and the hydrogenolysis/hydrogenation selectivity of the Co-Mo/CNT catalysts was also much higher than those of the Co-Mo/γ-Al2O3. The Co-Mo/CNT catalyst with a Co/Mo atomic ratio of 0.7 showed the highest activity, whereas the catalyst with a Co/Mo atomic ratio of 0.35 had the highest selectivity.     

Modeling of Hierarchical Morphology of Carbon Nanotube Bundles in Polymer Composites

The morphological features of carbon nanotube (CNT) polymer composites and their influence on the effective modulus are evaluated. The considered features include bundle formation from the helical sub‐bundles made of individual CNTs. The formation of bundles is considered as a result of agglomeration of individual nanotubes above and below onset of percolation and is related to electrical conductivity. The proposed geometrical model yields a bundle diameter that agrees closely with that of the experimentally measured by voltage‐contrast method and scanning electron microscopy analysis of polyimide nanocomposites. The proposed micromechanical analytical model includes the helical structure of a bundle and provides close agreement of the effective Young's modulus of nanocomposite over a wide range of CNT content. It is shown that considering the helical structure of CNT bundles and its effect on bundle modulus is vital for predicting the effective modulus of CNT‐polymer nanocomposite.

     

碳纳米管/聚合物纳米复合材料研究进展

碳纳米管/聚合物纳米复合材料是近几年发展起来的一个新的研究方向。本文从增强和功能性两个方面评述了碳纳米管/聚合物纳米复合材料的发展过程以及最新进展，详细讨论了碳纳米管在聚合物中的分散、取向和胃面相互作用对复合材料力学性能的影响，介绍了碳纳米管的加入赋予聚合物的一些新的光电性能，并对今后的研究方向进行了展望。     

Realizing the Promise—The Development of Research on Carbon Nanotubes

The present reflection on the development of research on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) stems from the publication of the report “Realizing the Promise of Carbon Nanotubes” by the US National Nanotechnology Initiative in 2015. The report is a critical assessment of the state‐of‐art of CNT research and highlights some unresolved issues related with this field. Starting from the results of this assessment, we carried out an analysis of the publications’ pool in CNTs and related domains, by exploiting bibliometric tools. We focused on the item of competition/collaboration between disciplines and nations, with the purpose of evaluating the position of chemistry (as a discipline) as well as the position of the main European countries and the European Union (EU) as a whole in the context of CNT research. The results of such analysis outline very clearly the interdisciplinary landscape wherein CNT research is situated and show the highly competitive place occupied by EU in the field.     

Isoprene Polymerization on Iron Nanoparticles Confined in Carbon Nanotubes

The confinement of air‐protected metallic magnetic nanoparticles in the inner cavity of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) should offer an interesting perspective for biomedical applications or for controlling CNT alignment in composites. Because the direct confinement of polymer‐precoated nanoparticles in CNTs could be restricted by diffusion limitations, we developed a process based on: 1) the confinement of iron nanoparticles surface‐modified with an iron polymerization catalyst in the cavity of CNTs and 2) the polymerization of isoprene on the confined nanoparticles. The resulting material consists in CNT‐confined iron nanoparticles coated with a polyisoprene air barrier. This approach constitutes a proof of concept for the development of smart materials for use in medicine or composites.     

取向碳纳米管/高分子新型复合材料的制备及应用

碳纳米管/高分子复合材料已经被广泛研究, 但长期以来存在一个共同而关键的挑战, 即碳纳米管无规聚集, 结构难以调控, 性能无法满足应用需要. 本工作提出了制备取向碳纳米管/高分子复合材料的一种新方法, 获得块状、膜状、纤维状复合材料, 制备的关键步骤是通过化学气相沉积法合成可纺的高质量碳纳米管阵列. 该方法简单易行, 具有较好的普适性. 由于碳纳米管取向排列, 复合材料具有优异的物理性能, 如碳纳米管取向后复合材料的机械强度和导电率可分别提高一个和三个数量级. 在此基础上, 进一步探讨取向碳纳米管/高分子复合材料作为新型电极在有机太阳能电池中的应用.