Carbon nanotube dielectrophoresis: Theory and applications

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are one of the most extensively studied nanomaterials in the 21st century. Since their discovery in 1991, many studies have been reported advancing our knowledge in terms of their structure, properties, synthesis, and applications. CNTs exhibit unique electrothermal and conductive properties which, combined with their mechanical strength, have led to tremendous attention of CNTs as a nanoscale material in the past two decades. To introduce the various types of CNTs, we first provide basic information on their structure followed by some intriguing properties and a brief overview of synthesis methods. Although impressive advances have been demonstrated with CNTs, critical applications require purification, positioning, and separation to yield desired properties and functional elements. Here, we review a versatile technique to manipulate CNTs based on their dielectric properties, namely dielectrophoresis (DEP). A detailed discussion on the DEP aspects of CNTs including the theory and various technical microfluidic realizations is provided. Various advancements in DEP-based manipulations of single-walled and multiwalled CNTs are also discussed with special emphasis on applications involving separation, purification, sensing, and nanofabrication.     

Mechanical and electrical response variation of the polyurethane–tin oxide–carbon nanotube composite microfiber depending on the chemical solution

Toward the goal of smart sensor systems for wearable electronics, polymer microfiber‐based free‐standing sensors benefit from excellent flexibility, decent ductility, and easy wearability in comparison with thin‐film‐based sensing devices. Herein, we report a hydrophobic and conducting single‐strand microfiber‐based liquid‐phase chemical sensor consisting of polyurethane (PU), tin oxide (SnO₂), and carbon nanotube (CNT) composites with applying a (1H,1H,2H,2H‐heptadecafluorodec‐1‐yl) phosphonic acid (HDF‐PA)‐based self‐assembled monolayer. The free‐standing HDF‐PA‐treated PU–SnO₂–CNT composite microfiber showing selective filtering properties with the repellency of water and the penetration of an organic solvent is electrically and mechanically characterized. Finally, the single‐strand HDF‐PA‐treated PU–SnO₂–CNT composite microfiber‐based chemical sensor, which shows excellent mechanical properties and aqueous stability, is demonstrated to detect the presence of a chemical in pure water or counterfeit gasoline in pure gasoline by observing mechanical changes, especially variations in the length and diameter of the fiber, and monitoring the electrical resistance change. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 495–502     

Strain rate effects on compressive behavior of covalently bonded CNT networks

In this study, strain rate effects on the compressive mechanical properties of randomly structured carbon nanotube (CNT) networks were examined. For this purpose, three-dimensional atomistic models of CNT networks with covalently-bonded junctions were generated. After that, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of compressive loading were performed at five different strain rates to investigate the basic deformation characteristic mechanisms of CNT networks and determine the effect of strain rate on stress–strain curves. The simulation results showed that the strain rate of compressive loading increases, so that a higher resistance of specimens to deformation is observed. Furthermore, the local deformation characteristics of CNT segments, which are mainly driven by bending and buckling modes, and their prevalence are strongly affected by the deformation rate. It was also observed that CNT networks have superior features to metal foams such as metal matrix syntactic foams (MMSFs) and porous sintered fiber metals (PSFMs) in terms of energy absorbing capabilities.     

Electrochemical Behavior and Voltammetric Determination of Diclofenac at a Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Ionic Liquid Composite Modified Carbon Ceramic Electrode

This work describes the electrochemical behavior of diclofenac on the surface of a carbonceramic electrode (CCE) modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and an ionic liquid (IL) composite. The MWCNT-IL composite showed an enhancement effect in the electro-oxidation of diclofenac with respect to a bare carbon ceramic electrode. Based on the experimental outcomes, a possible mechanism for the electro-oxidation of diclofenac is proposed and discussed. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the MWCNT-IL CCE showed a linear response to diclofenac over the concentration range 50 nM–20 µM with a detection limit of 27 nM. The developed diclofenac sensor showed good stability, sensitivity, and reproducibility in the measurement of diclofenac in human blood plasma samples.     

Covalent Functionalization of Pristine and Ga-Doped Boron Phosphide Nanotubes with Imidazole

Abstract

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/6–31G* level were performed to investigate covalent functionalization of imidazole on pristine (in gas and H₂O phases) and Ga-doped BPNT models in terms of energetic, geometric, and electronic properties. The results show that imidazole, as a functional group, prefers to be adsorbed via its nitrogen atom on the pristine, Ga_B, and Ga_P nanotube models. The adsorption energy of imidazole on the (6,0) zigzag BPNT in gas and solvent phases is ?0.76 and ?1.11 eV, respectively, and about 0.38 and 0.43 electron are transferred from the imidazole to nanotube in the phases. The presence of a polar solvent increases the electron donor of imidazole molecule. The results show that Ga doping can significantly enhance the adsorption energy of imidazole on the nanotube models to about 95%.

Moreover, the imidazole adsorption on the pristine and Ga-doped BPNT models has not significant changes in the energy gap of the nanotube models and it is slightly changed after covalent functionalization process. This study may provide new insight to the development of functionalized boron phosphide nanotubes for generation of the new hybrid compounds especially in drug delivery systems for virtual applications.     

Preparation of polyaniline grafted multiwalled carbon nanotubes and conductive application in polyetherimide

A methodology for improving antistatic property of polyetherimide (PEI) composite using polyaniline (PANI) grafted multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) as conductive medium was proposed. First, the MWNTs grafted with PANI (PANI‐g‐MWNTs) were prepared by in‐situ polymerization in an emulsion system. Subsequently, PANI‐g‐MWNTs were blended with PEI using N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone as solvent. After removing the solvent, the PEI/PANI‐g‐MWNT composite was prepared. As assisted conductive medium, the grafted PANI molecular chains on MWNT surface were dispersed in the PEI matrix to decrease the percolation value of the antistatic composites. The structure and morphology of PANI‐g‐MWNTs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope, thermogravimetric analysis, and X‐ray powder diffraction, respectively. The dispersion of PANI‐g‐MWNTs in PEI matrix was studied by scanning electron microscope. The electrical performance was characterized by highly resistant meter. The volume resistivity of the conductivity percolation threshold was 1.781 × 10^?8 S/cm when the loading of PANI‐g‐MWNTs was 1.0 wt%. The conductivity of PANI‐g‐MWNTs/PEI composites was found to be higher than that of pristine MWNTs/PEI composite. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optical absorption of zigzag single walled boron nitride nanotubes in axial magnetic field

We have investigated the effect of axial magnetic field on the band structure, dipole matrix elements and absorption spectrum in different energy ranges, using tight binding approximation. It is found that magnetic field breaks the degeneracy in the band structure and creates new allowed transitions in the dipole matrix which leads to creation of new peaks in the absorption spectrum. It is found that, unlike to CNTs which show metallic–semiconductor transition, the BNNTs remain semiconductor in any magnetic field strength. By calculation the diameter dependence of peak positions, we found that the positions of three first peaks in the lower energy region (E <5.3 eV) are proportional to n⁻². In the middle energy region (7 < E < 7.5 eV) all (n, 0) zigzag BNNTs, with even and odd nanotube index, have two distinct peaks in the absence of magnetic field which these peaks may be used to identify zigzag BNNTs from other tube chiralities. For odd (even) tubes, in the middle energy region, applying the magnetic field leads to splitting of these two peaks into three (five) distinct peaks.     

硅表面分子刷图案化及生长DNA纳米管

结合“自上而下”和“自下而上”技术构建微纳米器件是目前纳米科学和技术领域追逐的目标之一。本文首先采用硅氢化反应在硅表面共价偶联引发聚合的活性基团,接着实施表面原子转移自由基聚合（ATRP）反应形成高分子刷poly（PEGMA）,采用“自上而下”的光刻技术在硅表面制备功能化的图案,最后利用“自下而上”的DNA自组装技术在图案部分原位生长DNA纳米管。上述组装过程通过多次透射反射红外光谱、凝胶电泳、透射电镜和扫描电镜进行了检测,证实了硅芯片表面定位生长DNA纳米管的可行性。     

还原氧化石墨烯/碳纳米管/Co_3O_4三元复合材料的制备与电化学性能

将低温水热反应和低温热处理相结合,制备了含还原氧化石墨烯(RGO)、碳纳米管(CNTs)和Co3O4的三元纳米复合材料RGO-CNTs-Co3O4;利用X射线衍射仪、扫描电子显微镜、透射电子显微镜分析了合成产物的相组成和微观结构,分析了其形成过程;并利用电化学测试装置测定了其作为锂离子电池负极材料的电化学性能.结果表明,在合成反应过程中,氧化石墨烯被还原剂肼还原为石墨烯,同时在石墨烯和CNTs表面生成氢氧化钴;再经低温热处理得到RGO-CNTs-Co3O4三元复合材料.Co3O4纳米颗粒均匀分散在由RGO片层和CNTs组成的三维网络结构中;这种三维网络结构既有利于电子和离子的传输,又能够有效抑制Co3O4在脱嵌锂过程中因体积变化引起的结构破坏.总体而言,合成的新型三元复合材料具有高的比容量以及良好的循环性能与倍率性能.     

Functionalization of short multi-walled carbon nanotubes with creatinine and aromatic aldehydes via microwave and thermal methods and their influence on the MKN45 and MCF7 cancer cells

The chemical functionalization of carboxylated short multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Sh–MWCNT–COOH) by creatinine (Sh–MWCNT–amide) and later modification with aromatic aldehydes for producing 2-amino-5-arylidene-1-methyl-1H–imidazol-4(5H)-one (Sh–MWCNT–imidazols) via thermal and microwave methods have been investigated. All the products were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, derivative thermogravimetric and cellular investigations. These functionalizations have been chosen due to the active sites of CC and carbonyl groups in Sh–MWCNT–imidazols, which might be used as functional materials in the future. MTT assay was used to examine the behavior of cell proliferation after 72 h of cell culture experiments. Cellular investigations were performed for two kinds of cells, human breast and gastric cancer cells. Cellular results showed high toxicity of modified Sh–MWCNTs on the gastric cancer cells compared to breast cells.