Department of Materials Science, University of Patras, 26504 Rio Patras, Greece, Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vass. Constantinou Avenue, 116 35 Athens, Greece, Institut de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire, UPR9021 CNRS, Immunologie et Chimie Therapeutiques, 67084 Strasbourg, France, and Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Universita di Trieste, Piazzale Europa 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy

Chemistry of Carbon Nanotubes

Small but strong: A review of the mechanical properties of carbon nanotube–polymer composites

[Chen, Zongping; Ren, Wencai; Gao, Libo; Liu, Bilu; Pei, Songfeng; Cheng, Hui-Ming] Chinese Acad Sci, Shenyang Natl Lab Mat Sci, Inst Met Res, Shenyang 110016, Peoples R China.;Cheng, HM (reprint author), Chinese Acad Sci, Shenyang Natl Lab Mat Sci, Inst Met Res, Shenyang 110016, Peoples R China;cheng@imr.ac.cn

Three-dimensional flexible and conductive interconnected graphene networks grown by chemical vapour deposition

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) hold the promise of delivering exceptional mechanical properties and multi-functional characteristics. Ever-increasing interest in applying CNTs in many different fields has led to continued efforts to develop dispersion and functionalization techniques. To employ CNTs as effective reinforcement in polymer nanocomposites, proper dispersion and appropriate interfacial adhesion between the CNTs and polymer matrix have to be guaranteed. This paper reviews the current understanding of CNTs and CNT/polymer nanocomposites with two particular topics: (i) the principles and techniques for CNT dispersion and functionalization and (ii) the effects of CNT dispersion and functionalization on the properties of CNT/polymer nanocomposites. The fabrication techniques and potential applications of CNT/polymer nanocomposites are also highlighted.

Dispersion and functionalization of carbon nanotubes for polymer-based nanocomposites: a review

Carbon nanotube–polymer composites: Chemistry, processing, mechanical and electrical properties

Alternating current (ac) and direct current (dc) conductivities have been measured in polymer-nanotube composite thin films. This was carried out for a range of concentrations of multiwall nanotubes in two polymer hosts, poly(m-phenylenevinylene-co-2,5-dioctyloxyp-phenylenevinylene) (PmPV) and polyvinylalcohol (PVA). In all cases the dc conductivity σDC was ohmic in the voltage range studied. In general the ac conductivity displayed two distinct regions, a frequency independent region of magnitude σ0 at low frequency and a frequency dependent region at higher frequency. Both σDC and σ0 followed a percolation scaling law of the form σ∝(p−pc)t with pc=0.055% by mass and t=1.36. This extrapolates to a conductivity of 1×10−3 S/m for 100% nanotube content. Such a low value reflects the presence of a thick polymer coating, resulting in poor electrical connection between tubes. This leads to the suggestion that charge transport is controlled by fluctuation induced tunneling. In the high frequency regime the cond...

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Experimental observation of scaling laws for alternating current and direct current conductivity in polymer-carbon nanotube composite thin films

In this work, multiwalled carbon nanotubes were investigated as potential mechanical reinforcement agents in two hosts, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and poly(9-vinyl carbazole) (PVK). It was found that, by adding various concentrations of nanotubes, both Young’s modulus and hardness increased by factors of 1.8 and 1.6 at 1 wt % in PVA and 2.8 and 2.0 at 8 wt % in PVK, in reasonable agreement with the Halpin–Tsai theory. Furthermore, the presence of the nanotubes was found to nucleate crystallization of the PVA. This crystal growth is thought to enhance matrix-nanotube stress transfer. In addition, microscopy studies suggest extremely strong interfacial bonding in the PVA-based composite. This is manifested by the fracture of the polymer rather that the polymer-nanotube interface.

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Morphological and mechanical properties of carbon-nanotube-reinforced semicrystalline and amorphous polymer composites

Polymer–multiwalled carbon nanotube composite films were fabricated using two types of polymer matrices, namely poly(vinyl alcohol), (PVA) and chlorinated polypropylene. In the first case, the PVA was observed to form a crystalline coating around the nanotubes, maximising interfacial stress transfer. In the second case the interface was engineered by covalently attaching chlorinated polypropylene chains to the nanotubes, again resulting in large stress transfer. Increases in Young's modulus, tensile strength, and toughness of × 3.7, × 4.3, and × 1.7, respectively were observed for the PVA-based materials at less than 1 wt.-% nanotubes. Similarily for the polypropylene-based composites, increases in Young's modulus, tensile strength and toughness of × 3.1, × 3.9, and × 4.4, respectively, were observed at equivalent nanotube loading levels. In addition, a model to describe composite strength was derived. This model shows that the tensile strength increases in proportion to the thickness of the interface region. This suggests that composite strength can be optimized by maximising the thickness of the crystalline coating or the thickness of the interfacial volume partially occupied by functional groups.

High Performance Nanotube‐Reinforced Plastics: Understanding the Mechanism of Strength Increase

The sea provides a large variety of seaweeds that, because of their chemical composition, are fantastic precursors of nanotextured carbons. The carbons are obtained by the simple pyrolysis of the seaweeds under a nitrogen atmosphere between 600 and 900 °C, followed by rinsing the product in slightly acidic water. Depending on the origin of the seaweed and on the pyrolysis conditions, the synthesis may be oriented to give an oxygen-enriched carbon or to give a tuned micro/mesoporous carbon. The samples with a rich oxygenated surface functionality are excellent as supercapacitor electrodes in an aqueous medium whereas the perfectly tuned porous carbons are directly applicable for organic media. In both cases, the specific surface area of the attained carbons does not exceed 1300 m2 g−1, which results in high-density materials. As a consequence, the volumetric capacitance is very high, making these materials more interesting than activated carbons from the point of view of developing small and compact electric power sources. Such versatile carbons, obtained by a simple, ecological, and cheap process, could be well used for environment remediation such as water and air treatment.

Tuning Carbon Materials for Supercapacitors by Direct Pyrolysis of Seaweeds

Tensile tests were carried out on free-standing composite films of poly(vinyl alcohol) and six different types of carbon nanotubes for different nanotube loading levels. Significant increases in Young's modulus by up to a factor of 2 were observed in all cases. Theories such as the rule-of-mixtures or the Halpin-Tsai-theory could not explain the relative differences between composites made from different tube types. However, it is possible to show that the reinforcement scales linearly with the total nanotube surface area in the films, indicating that low diameter multiwall nanotubes are the best tube type for reinforcement. In addition, in all cases crystalline coatings around the nanotubes were detected by calorimetry, suggesting comparible polymer−nanotube interfaces. Thus, the reinforcement appears to be critically dependent on the polymer−nanotube interfacial interaction as previously suggested.

Martin Cadek

Papers

Experimental observation of scaling laws for alternating current and direct current conductivity in polymer-carbon nanotube composite thin films

Morphological and mechanical properties of carbon-nanotube-reinforced semicrystalline and amorphous polymer composites

High Performance Nanotube‐Reinforced Plastics: Understanding the Mechanism of Strength Increase

Tuning Carbon Materials for Supercapacitors by Direct Pyrolysis of Seaweeds

Reinforcement of polymers with carbon nanotubes: The role of nanotube surface area