am6b12869_si_001.pdf (1.84 MB)
Download fileAlignment of Carbon Nanotubes in Carbon Nanotube Fibers Through Nanoparticles: A Route for Controlling Mechanical and Electrical Properties
journal contribution
posted on 2017-01-20, 00:00 authored by Muhammad
Mohsin Hossain, Md. Akherul Islam, Hossain Shima, Mudassir Hasan, Moonyong LeeThis is the first study that describes
how semiconducting ZnO can
act as an alignment agent in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) fibers. Because
of the alignment of CNTs through the ZnO nanoparticles linking groups,
the CNTs inside the fibers were equally distributed by the attraction
of bonding forces into sheetlike bunches, such that any applied mechanical
breaking load was equally distributed to each CNT inside the fiber,
making them mechanically robust against breaking loads. Although semiconductive
ZnO nanoparticles were used here, the electrical conductivity of the
aligned CNT fiber was comparable to bare CNT fibers, suggesting that
the total electron movement through the CNTs inside the aligned CNT
fiber is not disrupted by the insulating behavior of ZnO nanoparticles.
A high degree of control over the electrical conductivity was also
demonstrated by the ZnO nanoparticles, working as electron movement
bridges between CNTs in the longitudinal and crosswise directions.
Well-organized surface interface chemistry was also observed, which
supports the notion of CNT alignment inside the fibers. This research
represents a new area of surface interface chemistry for interfacially
linked CNTs and ZnO nanomaterials with improved mechanical properties
and electrical conductivity within aligned CNT fibers.