Characterization of functionalized carbon nanotubes and their composites

POSTER

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have received considerable attention due to their extraordinary properties of strength, toughness, as well as thermal and electrical conductivities. They are ideal fillers for polymer nanocomposites to enhance the composite physical and mechanical properties. In order to overcome the problem of tangling caused by intrinsic van der Waals forces during the composite fabrication, chemical functionalization process has been introduced. In this work, we characterized the chemical coating on the functionalized CNTs and their composites using analytical electron microscopy. It was observed that the CNT surfaces were coated with reactants from the chemical reactions. In the CNT/epoxy nanocomposites, such a coating significantly improved the CNT dispersion. In the CNT/chitosan composite, it was observed that the unfunctionalized CNTs without coating did not bond with the chitosan particles, while the functionalized CNTs could bond with the chitosan particles through the surface adhesive coating, which is an ideal medium to make the CNT/chitosan composites.

Authors

  • Z.P. Luo

    Texas A\&M University

  • Mikhail Zhernenkov

    Angelo State University Department of Physics, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Univeristy of Central Florida-College of Optics and Photonics, BAE Systems, University of Alberta Department of Physics, Istanbul University Department of Physics, Texas Tech University Department of Physics, Istanbul University, Beyazit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, UTD, TAMS at UNT, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University at Albany, Dept. of Physics, University of New Orleans, University of Texas at Arlington, Prairie View A\&M University, Chemistry, UTSA, Sciprint.org, Texas Tech University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas State University, Punjab U, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas, Dept. of Physics, Texas State University, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson TX 75080, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-4242, Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Volta Redonda, RJ, Brazil, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, University of Texas Arlington, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Max Plank Institute, Dresden, Germany, Education Consultant, APS, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, LANSCE, Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Mikhail Zhernenkov

    Angelo State University Department of Physics, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Univeristy of Central Florida-College of Optics and Photonics, BAE Systems, University of Alberta Department of Physics, Istanbul University Department of Physics, Texas Tech University Department of Physics, Istanbul University, Beyazit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, UTD, TAMS at UNT, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University at Albany, Dept. of Physics, University of New Orleans, University of Texas at Arlington, Prairie View A\&M University, Chemistry, UTSA, Sciprint.org, Texas Tech University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas State University, Punjab U, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas, Dept. of Physics, Texas State University, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson TX 75080, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-4242, Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Volta Redonda, RJ, Brazil, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, University of Texas Arlington, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Max Plank Institute, Dresden, Germany, Education Consultant, APS, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, LANSCE, Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Mikhail Zhernenkov

    Angelo State University Department of Physics, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Univeristy of Central Florida-College of Optics and Photonics, BAE Systems, University of Alberta Department of Physics, Istanbul University Department of Physics, Texas Tech University Department of Physics, Istanbul University, Beyazit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, UTD, TAMS at UNT, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University at Albany, Dept. of Physics, University of New Orleans, University of Texas at Arlington, Prairie View A\&M University, Chemistry, UTSA, Sciprint.org, Texas Tech University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas State University, Punjab U, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas, Dept. of Physics, Texas State University, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson TX 75080, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-4242, Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Volta Redonda, RJ, Brazil, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, University of Texas Arlington, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Max Plank Institute, Dresden, Germany, Education Consultant, APS, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, LANSCE, Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Mikhail Zhernenkov

    Angelo State University Department of Physics, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Univeristy of Central Florida-College of Optics and Photonics, BAE Systems, University of Alberta Department of Physics, Istanbul University Department of Physics, Texas Tech University Department of Physics, Istanbul University, Beyazit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, UTD, TAMS at UNT, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University at Albany, Dept. of Physics, University of New Orleans, University of Texas at Arlington, Prairie View A\&M University, Chemistry, UTSA, Sciprint.org, Texas Tech University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas State University, Punjab U, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas, Dept. of Physics, Texas State University, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson TX 75080, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-4242, Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Volta Redonda, RJ, Brazil, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, University of Texas Arlington, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Max Plank Institute, Dresden, Germany, Education Consultant, APS, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, LANSCE, Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Mikhail Zhernenkov

    Angelo State University Department of Physics, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Univeristy of Central Florida-College of Optics and Photonics, BAE Systems, University of Alberta Department of Physics, Istanbul University Department of Physics, Texas Tech University Department of Physics, Istanbul University, Beyazit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, UTD, TAMS at UNT, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University at Albany, Dept. of Physics, University of New Orleans, University of Texas at Arlington, Prairie View A\&M University, Chemistry, UTSA, Sciprint.org, Texas Tech University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas State University, Punjab U, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas, Dept. of Physics, Texas State University, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson TX 75080, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-4242, Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Volta Redonda, RJ, Brazil, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, University of Texas Arlington, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Max Plank Institute, Dresden, Germany, Education Consultant, APS, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, LANSCE, Los Alamos National Laboratory