Functionalization and Characterization of Carbon Nanotubes/ Polypropylene Nanocomposite
Chemical and physical functionalization of multiwalled
carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) has been commonly practiced to
achieve better dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in polymer
matrix. This work describes various functionalization methods (acidtreatment,
non-ionic surfactant treatment with TritonX-100),
fabrication of MWCNT/PP nanocomposites via melt blending and
characterization of mechanical properties. Microscopy analysis
(FESEM, TEM, XPS) showed effective purification of MWCNTs
under acid treatment, and better dispersion under both chemical and
physical functionalization techniques combined, in their respective
order. Tensile tests showed increase in tensile strength for the
nanocomposites that contain MWCNTs up to 2 wt%. A decrease in
tensile strength was seen in samples that contain 4 wt% of MWCNTs
for both raw and Triton X-100 functionalized, signifying MWCNT
degradation/rebundling at composition with higher content of
MWCNTs. For the acid-treated MWCNTs, however, the tensile
results showed slight improvement even at 4wt%, indicating effective
dispersion of MWCNTs.
[1] Iijima, Nature 354 (1991) 56
[2] F Thiebaud, JC Gelin. "Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube/Polypropelyne
Composites: Investigation of Melt Processing by Injection Molding and
Analysis of the Resulting Mechanical Behaviour", Int J Mater Form, Vol
2 Suppl 1:149-152, 2009
[3] Jian Zhao, "A Literature Review on Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes and
Their PolymerComposites", Department of Materials Science and
Engineering, University of Cincinnati, October 2001
[4] Shaffer MSP, Windle AH. "Fabrication & Characterization of Carbon
Nanotube/Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) Composites", Adv Mater, 1999
[5] Andrews R, Jacques D, Minot M, Rantell T. "Fabrication of Carbon
Multiwall Nanotube/Polymer Composites by Shear Mixing", Macromol
Mater Eng, 2002
[6] Breuer O, Sundararaj U. "Big Returns from Small Fibers: A review of
Polymer/Carbon Nanotube Composites". Polym Compos, 2004
[7] Potschke P, Bhattacharyya AR, Janke A, Goering H. "Melt Mixing of
Polycarbonate/Multi-wall Carbon Nanotube Composites", Compos
Interf. , 2003
[8] D. Bikiaris, A. Vassilou, K. Chrissafis, K.M. Paraskevopoulos, A.
Jannakoudakis, A. Docoslis, "Effect of Acid Treated Multi-Walled
Carbon Nanotubes on the Mechanical, Permeability, Thermal Properties
and Thermo-oxidative Stability of Isotactic Polypropylene", Polymer
Degradation and Stability 93, 2008, 952-967
[9] SP Bao, SC Tjong. "Mechanical Behaviours of Polypropylene/Carbon
Nanotube Nanocomposites: The effects of loading rate and temperature",
Material Science and Engineering A, 2007
[10] Bing-Xing Yang, Jia-Hua Shi, KP Promoda, Suat Hong Goh,
"Enhancement of the Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene using
Polypropylene Grafted Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes", Composite
Science and Technology 68, 2008
[11] J Rausch, RC Zhuang, E Mader, "Surfactant Assisted Dispersion of
Functionalized Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes in Acqueous Media",
Composites: Part A 41, 1038-1046, 2010.
[12] Islam MF, Rojas E, Bergey DM, Johnson AT, Yodh AG, "High Weight
Fraction Surfactant Solubilization of single-wall carbon nanotubes in
water", Nano Lett, 3:269-73, 2003
[13] Y Bai, D Lin, F Wu, Z Wang, B Xing, "Adsorption of Triton X-series
surfactants and its role in stabilizing multi-walled carbon nanotube
suspensions" Chemosphere 79, 362-367, 2010
[14] M Bystrzejweski, A Huczko, H Lange, T Gemming, B Buchner, MH
Rummeli, "Dispersion and diameter separation of multi-wall carbon
nanotubes in aqueous solutions", Journal of Colloid and Interface
Science 345, 138-142, 2010
[15] D Bikiaris, "Microstructure and Properties of Polpropylene/Carbon
Nanotube Nanocomposites", Materials, 3, 2884-2946, 2010
[1] Iijima, Nature 354 (1991) 56
[2] F Thiebaud, JC Gelin. "Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube/Polypropelyne
Composites: Investigation of Melt Processing by Injection Molding and
Analysis of the Resulting Mechanical Behaviour", Int J Mater Form, Vol
2 Suppl 1:149-152, 2009
[3] Jian Zhao, "A Literature Review on Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes and
Their PolymerComposites", Department of Materials Science and
Engineering, University of Cincinnati, October 2001
[4] Shaffer MSP, Windle AH. "Fabrication & Characterization of Carbon
Nanotube/Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) Composites", Adv Mater, 1999
[5] Andrews R, Jacques D, Minot M, Rantell T. "Fabrication of Carbon
Multiwall Nanotube/Polymer Composites by Shear Mixing", Macromol
Mater Eng, 2002
[6] Breuer O, Sundararaj U. "Big Returns from Small Fibers: A review of
Polymer/Carbon Nanotube Composites". Polym Compos, 2004
[7] Potschke P, Bhattacharyya AR, Janke A, Goering H. "Melt Mixing of
Polycarbonate/Multi-wall Carbon Nanotube Composites", Compos
Interf. , 2003
[8] D. Bikiaris, A. Vassilou, K. Chrissafis, K.M. Paraskevopoulos, A.
Jannakoudakis, A. Docoslis, "Effect of Acid Treated Multi-Walled
Carbon Nanotubes on the Mechanical, Permeability, Thermal Properties
and Thermo-oxidative Stability of Isotactic Polypropylene", Polymer
Degradation and Stability 93, 2008, 952-967
[9] SP Bao, SC Tjong. "Mechanical Behaviours of Polypropylene/Carbon
Nanotube Nanocomposites: The effects of loading rate and temperature",
Material Science and Engineering A, 2007
[10] Bing-Xing Yang, Jia-Hua Shi, KP Promoda, Suat Hong Goh,
"Enhancement of the Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene using
Polypropylene Grafted Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes", Composite
Science and Technology 68, 2008
[11] J Rausch, RC Zhuang, E Mader, "Surfactant Assisted Dispersion of
Functionalized Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes in Acqueous Media",
Composites: Part A 41, 1038-1046, 2010.
[12] Islam MF, Rojas E, Bergey DM, Johnson AT, Yodh AG, "High Weight
Fraction Surfactant Solubilization of single-wall carbon nanotubes in
water", Nano Lett, 3:269-73, 2003
[13] Y Bai, D Lin, F Wu, Z Wang, B Xing, "Adsorption of Triton X-series
surfactants and its role in stabilizing multi-walled carbon nanotube
suspensions" Chemosphere 79, 362-367, 2010
[14] M Bystrzejweski, A Huczko, H Lange, T Gemming, B Buchner, MH
Rummeli, "Dispersion and diameter separation of multi-wall carbon
nanotubes in aqueous solutions", Journal of Colloid and Interface
Science 345, 138-142, 2010
[15] D Bikiaris, "Microstructure and Properties of Polpropylene/Carbon
Nanotube Nanocomposites", Materials, 3, 2884-2946, 2010
@article{"International Journal of Chemical, Materials and Biomolecular Sciences:57705", author = "Mokhtar Awang and Wei-Vern Hor and Ehsan Mohammadpour and M Zaki Abdullah and Faiz Ahmad", title = "Functionalization and Characterization of Carbon Nanotubes/ Polypropylene Nanocomposite", abstract = "Chemical and physical functionalization of multiwalled
carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) has been commonly practiced to
achieve better dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in polymer
matrix. This work describes various functionalization methods (acidtreatment,
non-ionic surfactant treatment with TritonX-100),
fabrication of MWCNT/PP nanocomposites via melt blending and
characterization of mechanical properties. Microscopy analysis
(FESEM, TEM, XPS) showed effective purification of MWCNTs
under acid treatment, and better dispersion under both chemical and
physical functionalization techniques combined, in their respective
order. Tensile tests showed increase in tensile strength for the
nanocomposites that contain MWCNTs up to 2 wt%. A decrease in
tensile strength was seen in samples that contain 4 wt% of MWCNTs
for both raw and Triton X-100 functionalized, signifying MWCNT
degradation/rebundling at composition with higher content of
MWCNTs. For the acid-treated MWCNTs, however, the tensile
results showed slight improvement even at 4wt%, indicating effective
dispersion of MWCNTs.", keywords = "Multi walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT),functionalization, dispersion, nanocomposite", volume = "5", number = "10", pages = "876-5", }