Modification of multiwalled carbon nanotubes by carboxy groups and determination of the degree of functionalization

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes were modified by carboxy groups. Four independent methods for the determination of the degree of functionalization of the surface were proposed: ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, titrimetry, and fluorimetry. The first two methods show the total content of carboxy groups in the sample, and the latter two methods give information about the content of the surface groups only. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 291–295, February, 2008.     

Transparent carbon nanotube coatings

Thin networks of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are sprayed onto glass or plastic substrates in order to obtain conductive transparent coatings. Transparency and conductivity at room temperature of different CNT material are evaluated. CNT coatings maintain their properties under mechanical stress, even after folding the substrate. At a transparency of 90% for visible light we observe a surface resistivity of 1 kΩ/sq which is already a promising value for various applications.     

Singlewall carbon nanotubes covered with polystyrene nanoparticles by in‐situ miniemulsion polymerization

This work is to make carbon nanotubes dispersible in both water and organic solvents without oxidation and cutting nanotube threads. Polystyrene‐singlewall carbon nanotube (PS‐SWNT) composites were prepared with three different methods: miniemulsion polymerization, conventional emulsion polymerization, and mixing SWNT with PS latex. The two factors, crosslinking and surface coverage of PS are important factors for the mechanical and electrical properties, including dispersion states of SWNT in various solvents. The PS‐SWNT composite prepared via a conventional emulsion polymerization showed SWNT bundles entirely covered with PS, whereas the PS‐SWNT composite prepared via a miniemulsion polymerization showed SWNT partially covered with crosslinked PS nanoparticles. The method of mixing SWNTs with PS latex did not show the well dispersed state of carbon nanotubes because PS was not crosslinked and was dissolved in a solvent, and nanotubes separated from PS precipitated. So the PS nanoparticle‐SWNT composite had lower electrical resistance, and higher mechanical strength than the other composites made by the latter two methods. As the amount of SWNT increases, the bare surface area of SWNT increases and the electrical conductivity increases in the composite made by the miniemulsion polymerization. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 573–584, 2006     

Synthesis,characterization, and electrical properties of polypyrrole/multiwalled carbon nanotube composites

Size‐controllable polypyrrole (PPy)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites have been synthesized by in situ chemical oxidation polymerization directed by various concentrations of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Raman spectra, FTIR, SEM, and TEM were used to characterize their structure and morphology. These results showed that the composites are core (MWCNT)–shell (PPy) tubular structures with the thickness of the PPy layer in the range of 20–40 nm, depending on the concentration of CTAB. Raman and FTIR spectra of the composites are almost identical to those of PPy alone. The electrical conductivities of these composites are 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than those of PPy without MWCNTs. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6449–6457, 2006     

Characterization and electrical properties of polypyrrole/multiwalled carbon nanotube composites synthesized by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization

This study describes the preparation of polypyrrole (PPy)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) composites by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization. Various ratios of MWNTs, which served as hard templates, were first dispersed in aqueous solutions with the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide to form micelle/MWNT templates and overcome the difficulty of MWNTs dispersing into insoluble solutions of pyrrole monomer, and PPy was then synthesized via in situ chemical oxidative polymerization on the surface of the templates. Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) were used to characterize the structure and morphology of the fabricated composites. Structural analysis using FESEM and HRTEM showed that the PPy/MWNT composites were core (MWNT)–shell (PPy) tubular structures. Raman and FTIR spectra of the composites were almost identical to those of PPy, supporting the idea that MWNTs served as the core in the formation of a coaxial nanostructure for the composites. The conductivities of these PPy/MWNT composites were about 150% higher than those of PPy without MWNTs. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 1413–1418, 2006     

溶剂热还原合成Cr2O3纳米管(英)

Cr₂O₃ nanotubes with diameters of 80 nm and lengths of 550 nm were synthesized in a solvothermal reduction system at 180 ℃. The acetyl acetone (AcAc) and ethylene glycol (EG) were used as the chelate agent and the reductant respectively in the system. An intermediate compound-Cr(Ⅲ)(C₅H₇O₂)₃ was formed to force Cr₂O₃to crystallize along one direction.     

氧化铝/碳纳米管复合材料的制备及表征

采用聚乙烯醇对碳纳米管表面进行改性，通过化学沉淀法将Al(OH)₃均匀沉积在碳纳米管表面，然后在氮气气氛下于500 ℃煅烧2 h，制备出氧化铝/碳纳米管复合材料。采用TEM、TG、DTA、XRD、IR、氮吸附脱附(比表面积及孔结构分析)等对氧化铝/碳纳米管复合材料进行表征，结果表明:未经聚乙烯醇改性的碳纳米管，氧化铝与碳纳米管相互分离;经聚乙烯醇改性的碳纳米管，氧化铝与碳纳米管结合良好。经聚乙烯醇改性的碳纳米管表面均匀覆盖一层聚乙烯醇膜，通过聚乙烯醇的吸附作用， Al(OH)₃沉积在碳纳米管表面形成一层连续的覆盖层。