High molar mass amphiphilic block copolymer enables alignment and dispersion of unfunctionalized carbon nanotubes in melt-drawn thin-films
- Friedrich Schiller Univ., Jena (Germany). Otto Schott Inst. of Materials Research, Dept. of Materials Science and Technology; Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biology and Soft Matter Division
- Friedrich Schiller Univ., Jena (Germany). Otto Schott Inst. of Materials Research, Dept. of Materials Science and Technology
- Friedrich Schiller Univ., Jena (Germany). Otto Schott Inst. of Materials Research, Dept. of Materials Science and Technology; Friedrich Schiller Univ., Jena (Germany). Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM)
To extensively control the nanofiller arrangement (location, orientation, shape) is still a bottleneck for multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposites. Here in this paper, we demonstrate simultaneous control of alignment (orientation) and dispersion (location) of pristine, i.e., unfunctionalized MWCNT using a high molar mass (HMM) amphiphilic block copolymer (BCP). We tested whether a HMM BCP in a selective solvent (i) disperses MWCNTs (ii) by similar mechanisms to low molar mass BCPs and (iii) is melt-drawable to align the well dispersed MWCNTs. The dispersibility of MWCNTs within poly(styrene)-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) ($$\overline{M}$$w $$\thickapprox$$ 500 kg mol) and its homopolymers in (non-)selective solvents was investigated: by sedimentation experiments, transmission electron microscopy and visible/near-infrared spectroscopy. Through BCP micelle mediated steric stabilization, HMM PS-b-P2VP led to a highly stable MWCNT dispersion, which is explained with two simple mesoscopic models. Using the melt-drawing technique, the well dispersed MWCNT/PS-b-P2VP dispersion was processed into a nanocomposite with a high degree of MWCNT alignment and dispersion. HMM BCPs are of significance for structural MWCNT/polymer nanocomposites, typically containing HMM polymers.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1394251
- Journal Information:
- Polymer, Journal Name: Polymer Journal Issue: C Vol. 127; ISSN 0032-3861
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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