Tough ceramic coatings: Carbon nanotube reinforced silica sol-gel

Silica coatings reinforced with carbon nanotubes were produced via sol-gel route using two mixing techniques of the sol-gel precursors, mechanical and ultrasonic mixing, and dip-coating as deposition process on magnesium alloy substrates. Effective incorporation and distribution of 0.1 wt.% of carbon nanotubes in the amorphous silica matrix of the coatings were achieved using both techniques. Fabrication procedure determines the morphological aspects of the coating. Only mechanical mixing process produced coatings dense and free of defects. Nanoindentation technique was used to examine the influence of the fabrication process in the mechanical features of the final coatings, i.e. indentation fracture toughness, Young's modulus and hardness. A maximum toughening effect of about 24% was achieved in silica coatings reinforced with carbon nanotubes produced by the mechanical mixing route. Scanning electron microscopy investigation revealed that the toughening of these reinforced coatings was mainly due to bridging effect of the reinforcement.     

Enhanced interfacial strength of carbon nanotube/copper nanocomposites via Ni-coating: Molecular-dynamics insights

The molecular bridging between carbon nanotube (CNT) within the meta matrix is hopeful for enhancing nanocomposite's mechanical performance. One of the main problems for nanocomposites is the inadequate bonding between nonstructural reinforcement and meta matrix. Ni-coating on CNT is an effective method to overcome the drawback of the inadequate strength, but the enhancing mechanism has not well interpreted yet. In this paper, the enhancing mechanism will be interpreted from the molecular-dynamics insights. The pullout process of CNT and Ni-coated CNT against copper matrix is investigated. The effects of geometric parameters, including CNT length and diameter, are taken into considerations and discussed. Results show that the interfacial strength is significantly improved after the Ni-coated CNT, which shows a good agreement with the experimental results available in the open literature. Besides, the sliding mechanism of Ni-coated CNTs against copper matrix is much more like a kind of friction sliding and directly related to the embedded zone. However, the pullout force of the CNT without Ni-coating is nearly proportional to its diameter, but independent of embedded length.     

Recyclable aligned carbon nanotube-sheet-based particulate air filter with high filtration efficiency and low pressure drop

There is an increasing demand for particulate matter filters to primarily block viruses and fine particulate matter floating in the air from entering the human body. The most commonly used microfiber-based filter has a technical flaw in which the filtration efficiency cannot be maximized as there is a trade-off in terms of performance; the pressure drop increases when the filtration efficiency increases. Here, we report the development of a recyclable macroscopic carbon nanotube (CNT)-based filter consisting of unidirectionally arranged multi-walled carbon nanotube sheets. Owing to the uniform arrangement of the 10–20 nm carbon nanotubes, uniform nanopores are formed. As a result, the CNT-sheet-based particulate matter filter exhibited low pressure drop characteristics, even at a high filtration efficiency. In addition, it was confirmed that the collected particulate matter could rapidly be removed through heat generated by applying a voltage to the conductive CNT sheet.     

Hot filament CVD of Fe-Cr catalyst for thermal CVD carbon nanotube growth from liquid petroleum gas

A hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) method was used to prepare Fe-Cr thin film on Si substrate. The produced layers were used as catalysts for growing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from liquid petroleum gas (LPG) at 825 °C by thermal CVD (TCVD) method. To characterize the obtained catalysts or CNTs, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy were used. CNTs were grown on HFCVD derived Fe-Cr catalyst with the LPG as carbon source successfully. It was found that an annealing process on catalysts enhances the surface concentration of Cr atoms and reduces the sizes of catalyst particles. The grown CNTs on annealed sample were morphologically denser with smaller diameters compared to the as deposited one. In addition, the effect of filament temperature on CNTs was investigated. By increasing the filament temperature from 850 to 1050 °C the surface density and diameters of CNTs were improved.     

Structural and surface features of multiwall carbon nanotube

We present the direct evidence of defective and disorder places on the surface of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT), visualizing the presence of amorphous carbon at those sites. These defective surfaces being higher in energy are the key features of functionalization with different materials. The interaction of the π orbital electrons of different carbon atoms of adjacent layers is more at the bent portion, than that of regular portion of the CNT. Hence the tubular structure of the bent portion of nanotubes is spaced more than that of regular portion of the nanotubes, minimizing the stress.     

Behavior of H2O molecule in carbon nanotube/boron nitride nanotube heterostructure

We perform total-energy electronic-structure calculations of a water molecule inside a (7, 7) carbon nanotube/boron nitride nanotube (CNT/BNNT) heterojunction. The van der Waals interaction is also considered in this study. We find that the equilibrium distance between the water molecule and the wall of the CNT (BNNT) is ≈ 3.3 Å, and the encapsulation energy is 0.22 eV (0.25 eV). The energy profile along the tube axis exhibits a dramatic change in the vicinity of the heterojunction. A speed change of water flow is expected to occur near the heterojunction. Such information would provide valuable insight in nanostructure design for nanofluidics.     

Sonochemical production of a carbon nanotube

Sonochemical production of a carbon nanotube has been studied. The carbon nanotube is produced by applying ultrasound to liquid chlorobenzene with ZnCl₂ particles and to o-dichlorobenzene with ZnCl₂ and Zn particles. It is considered that the polymer and the disordered carbon, which are formed by cavitational collapse in homogeneous liquid, are annealed by the inter-particle collision induced by the turbulent flow and shockwaves.     

Preparation of large-area double-walled carbon nanotube films and application as film heater

Large-area (larger than 30×30 cm²) double-walled carbon nanotube (DWCNT) films are prepared and application as a heating element for film heaters is demonstrated. A high heating efficiency is observed. Measurements indicate that the use of the DWCNT film heater would save energy consumption up to 20–30% when compared with a commercial film-like metal-based heater. Morphological analysis reveals that the special surface structure, appropriate electric and high thermal conductivities of the film formed by the network of entangled nanotube bundles may lead to the high heating performance. Considering large-area, shape flexibility, negligible weight and easy manipulation, the film exhibits promising potential applications as a film heater for thermal control in aircrafts, medical equipment, home appliances and other industrial fields at low temperature (below 400 °C).     

Laser surface treatment of screen-printed carbon nanotube emitters for enhanced field emission

This paper investigates the surface treatment of screen-printed carbon nanotube (CNT) emitters using a 248 nm (KrF) excimer laser. The field emission characteristics of the CNT emitters are measured following irradiation using laser fluences ranging from 80 to 400 mJ/cm². The results show that the turn-on electric field, the current density, and the distribution of the emission sites are highly dependent on the value of the laser fluence and are optimized at a fluence of 150 mJ/cm². Two distinct laser fluence regimes are identified. In the low fluence regime, i.e. 80-150 mJ/cm², the surface treatment process is dominated by a photo ablation mechanism, which results in the gradual removal of the binding material from the cathode surface and leads to an improvement in the emission characteristics of the CNT cathodes with an increasing fluence. However, in the high fluence regime, i.e. 150-400 mJ/cm², the thermal ablation mechanism dominates; resulting in a removal of the CNTs from the cathode surface and a subsequent degradation in the emission characteristics.     

Field emission characteristic of screen-printed carbon nanotube cathode

The fabrication of carbon nanotube emitters with excellent emission properties is described. The multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method were purified with oxidation method and mixed with organic binding pastes and then screen-printed on glass substrates with ITO film. We applied anode voltage gradually to refine the emission behavior of the emitter by cleaning the top surface of screen-printed carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The density of the carbon nanotubes is about 2.5×10⁸/cm². Diode field emission experiments were performed in dynamic vacuum system to study the emission current, the emission uniformity, etc. Bright and stable character emission images were obtained in the diode structure and the emission current could approach 1 mA/cm².     

Metallization of the semiconducting carbon nanotube by encapsulated bromine molecules

We use ab initio density-functional calculations to investigate the electronic structure of the bromine-adsorbed carbon nanotubes. When a Br₂ molecule is inside the (10,0) carbon nanotube, a trace of electron charge transfers from the nanotube to the Br₂ adsorbate, resulting in an increased Br–Br bond length. When the supercell contains two Br₂ molecules, total energy calculations reveal the formation of a linear chain of bromine atoms inside the carbon nanotube. Electron transfer from the nanotube to the atomic chains of the bromine adsorbates is much enhanced even in large-diameter nanotubes. We suggest that an exposure of the tip-opened carbon nanotube samples to a modest Br₂ partial pressure could result in a strong hole-doping of the nanotube, which makes the semiconducting nanotubes nearly metallic.     

Nonlinear resonances of a single-wall carbon nanotube cantilever

The dynamics of an electrostatically actuated carbon nanotube (CNT) cantilever are discussed by theoretical and numerical approaches. Electrostatic and intermolecular forces between the single-walled CNT and a graphene electrode are considered. The CNT cantilever is analyzed by the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, including its geometric and inertial nonlinearities, and a one-mode projection based on the Galerkin approximation and numerical integration. Static pull-in and pull-out behaviors are adequately represented by an asymmetric two-well potential with the total potential energy consisting of the CNT elastic energy, electrostatic energy, and the Lennard-Jones potential energy. Nonlinear dynamics of the cantilever are simulated under DC and AC voltage excitations and examined in the frequency and time domains. Under AC-only excitation, a superharmonic resonance of order 2 occurs near half of the primary frequency. Under both DC and AC loads, the cantilever exhibits linear and nonlinear primary and secondary resonances depending on the strength of the excitation voltages. In addition, the cantilever has dynamic instabilities such as periodic or chaotic tapping motions, with a variation of excitation frequency at the resonance branches. High electrostatic excitation leads to complex nonlinear responses such as softening, multiple stability changes at saddle nodes, or period-doubling bifurcation points in the primary and secondary resonance branches.     

Effect of sp-hybridized defects on the oscillatory behavior of carbon nanotube oscillators

Using molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate the oscillatory behaviors of carbon nanotube oscillators containing sp³-hybridized defects formed by hydrogen chemisorption. It is found that the presence of these defects significantly affects the kinetic and potential energies of the nanotube systems, which in turn affects their oscillation periods and frequencies. We have also studied the oscillatory characteristics of the oscillators containing sp³-hybridized Stone-Wales defects. Our results show that it is possible to control the motion of the inner nanotube by introducing sp³-hybridized defects on the outer nanotube, which provides a potential way to tune the oscillatory behavior of nanotube oscillators.     

First-principles study of elastic properties of high hydrogenated single-walled carbon nanotube

Using the first-principles calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT), we have investigated the mechanical properties of three typical patterns of the highly hydrogenated SWCNTs. For the stable parallel polyacetylene-like chains pattern (pattern III), Young's modulus of the type A configuration, which is one of the stable configurations of pattern III, has larger Young's modulus than that of the others with the same coverage on the same pristine tube, i.e. the vertical chain pattern (pattern I) and the dimer pattern (pattern II) ones. On the other hand, Young's modulus of type B configuration also belonged to pattern III changes slightly. We also verified that Young's modulus decreases enormously as the coverage increases above 50% and reduces to about one-third of that of the pristine carbon nanotubes at 100% coverage.     

Structural and morphological dependence of carbon nanotube arrays on catalyst aggregation

Catalyst aggregation affects the growth of carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays in terms of tubular structures, waviness, entanglement, lengths, and growth density etc., which are important issues for application developments. We present a systematic correlation between the aggregation of catalyst on the SiO₂/Si substrate and the structure and morphology of CNT arrays. The thickness of the catalyst film has a direct effect on the areal density of the catalytic particles and then the alignment of the CNT array. Introducing alumina as buffer layer and annealing the catalyst film at low pressure are two effective approaches to downsize the catalyst particles and then the diameter, wall number of the CNTs. Both the size and areal density of the catalyst also change with the CNT growth in accordance with Ostwald ripening process, with the bottom of the CNT array varying from well-aligned to disordered and adhesion between catalyst particles and the substrate getting enhanced. Strategies including tuning the thickness of the catalyst film, changing buffer layer, controlling on the growth time and the system pressure were used to regulate the aggregation of the catalyst. CNT arrays from disordered to well-aligned, from multi-walled to few-walled and further to single-walled were reproducibly synthesized by chemical vapor deposition of acetylene.     

Ethylene glycol reflux synthesis of carbon nanotube/ceria core-shell nanowires

Carbon nanotube (CNT)/ceria core-shell nanowires were prepared facilely on a large scale under the boiling reflux of ethylene glycol. The composites are characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction as well as Fourier transformed infrared spectra. It is found that the entire outer surface of CNTs is fully sheathed with a dense layer of uniform nanosized CeO₂, and that the thickness of the coating sheath can be readily manipulated by tuning the molar ratio of ceria to CNTs. Finally, a possible formation mechanism has been suggested as follows: with the high reaction temperature, ethylene glycol is partially converted to oxalic acid, and the surface hydroxyl groups of CeO₂ tiny particles react with oxalic acid to form the polymer-like inorganic-organic compounds. Subsequently, in view of the low-energy point, the polymer-like inorganic-organic compounds are coated on the surface of CNTs, and thus CNTs/ceria core-shell composites are obtained.     

Nanoscale surface of carbon nanotube fibers for medical applications: Structure and chemistry revealed by TOF-SIMS analysis

Surface structure and related chemistry understanding is a vital element in the design of high biocompatible materials since adsorption and adhesion of biological components are involved. These features are even more important in the case of nanostructured materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) fibers. In our preliminary work we synthesised CNTs based fibers for medical applications. This new hybrid system combines polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with CNTs and polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA), a biodegradable copolymer. The surface properties of this material are investigated in order to guarantee a biocompatible response. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) was found to be an ideal tool for fiber characterisation owing to its capacity to provide chemical specificity combined with detection limits beyond the reach of techniques previously used. Complementary morphological information is provided by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The corroboration of both data enables us to define the chemistry and structure of this new formulation.     

Fabrication of a carbon nanotube device using a patterned electrode and a local electric field

Suspensions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and organic solvent were dropped onto a substrate which had patterned electrodes while applying a DC voltage between the electrodes. Both multiwall and single-wall (SW) CNTs were purified from the mixture of CNTs and the undesirable particles of carbon when the solvent dichloromethane was used at high temperature. It is found that a SW CNT bridges the gap of the electrodes. This enables us to fabricate CNT devices at a controlled position.     

Effects of electromigration on copper atoms in carbon nanotube channels

The effects of electromigration on copper in carbon nanotube (CNT) channels are investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. The study shows that the potential energy of copper and the resistive forces on copper are dependent on the shape of the CNT junction, and the increase in bias voltages magnifies these effects. Bias voltages affect the density of copper in the downstream CNT. The velocity of copper in the downstream CNT is relatively lower than that in the upstream CNT when the biased voltage is high.     

接触电阻对碳纳米管场发射的影响

基于改进的悬浮球模型,计算了碳纳米管和衬底间的接触电阻存在时碳纳米管顶端的局域电场, 并结合Fowler-Nordheim (F-N)场发射规律研究了接触电阻对碳纳米管场发射的影响.研究表明,接触电阻的存在,在高电场区域接触电阻抑制了碳纳米管的电子场发射,导致在高电场区域出现电流饱和及FN直线偏折现象.其原因可归结为接触电阻使得在碳纳米管顶端的局域电场相对于没有接触电阻时相对地减少. 关键词： 碳纳米管 场发射 接触电阻 电流饱和