Sonication-Free Dispersion of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for High-Sorption-Capacity Aerogel Fabrication

Homogenously dispersing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in solvents has been one critical step towards exploiting their exceptional properties in high-performance components. However, the solubility of SWNTs is severely limited by the inert tube surfaces and strong tube-tube van der Waals att...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2022-11, Vol.27 (21), p.7657
Main Authors: Li, Dong, Xin, Liantao, Yang, Bocheng, Chen, Zizheng, Wu, Qianru, Han, Fangqian, Hao, Shulan, Feng, Lihu, Wang, Xiaoyu, Wang, Shiying, Wang, Lei, He, Maoshuai
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aerogel
Alkali metals
aqueous dispersion
Carbon
carbon nanotubide
Deionization
Dialysis
Dispersion
Fabrication
Freeze drying
Hemodialysis
Hydrogels
Li, Dong
Nanotechnology
Nanotubes
Optical properties
Oxidation
Polyvinylpyrrolidone
polyvinylpyrrolidone wrapping
Solvents
Sonication
sonication-free
Sorption
Spectrum analysis
Surfactants
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Summary:Homogenously dispersing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in solvents has been one critical step towards exploiting their exceptional properties in high-performance components. However, the solubility of SWNTs is severely limited by the inert tube surfaces and strong tube-tube van der Waals attractions. Starting with carbon nanotubides, i.e., negatively charged SWNTs reduced by alkali metals, we herein propose a sonication-free approach to prepare an aqueous dispersion of SWNTs. The approach combines the spontaneous dissolution of nanotubides in polar aprotic solvents with polyvinylpyrrolidone wrapping and dialysis in deionized H2O, which results in well-dispersed, neutralized SWNTs. The gelation of concentrated SWNT dispersion leads to the formation of hydrogels, which is subsequently transformed into SWNT aerogels through lyophilization. The prepared SWNT aerogels exhibit high-mass-sorption capacities for organic solvent absorption, paving the way towards harvesting the extraordinary properties of SWNTs.
ISSN:1420-3049
1420-3049
DOI:10.3390/molecules27217657