Oxygen Diffusion into Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Doped Polystrene Latex Films Using Fluorescence Technique

• Published in: Journal of fluorescence 2013-05, Vol.23 (3), p.357-366
• Main Authors: Yargi, Onder, Ugur, Saziye, Pekcan, Ander
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Biochemistry; Biological and Medical Physics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Biophysics; Biotechnology; Diffusion; Fluorescence; Fluorescence News Article; Latex; Latex - chemistry; Mathematical analysis; Multi wall carbon nanotubes; Nanocomposites - chemistry; Nanostructure; Nanotubes, Carbon - chemistry; Oxygen - chemistry; Polystyrene resins; Polystyrenes - chemistry; Quenching; Spectrometry, Fluorescence
• ISSN: 1053-0509; 1573-4994
• DOI: 10.1007/s10895-013-1157-2

This study examines the oxygen diffusion into polystyrene (PS) latex/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) nanocomposite films (PS/MWNT) consisting of various amounts of MWNT via steady state fluorescence technique (SSF). PS/MWNT films were prepared from the mixture of MWNT and pyrene (P)-labeled PS latexes at various compositions at room temperature. These films were then annealed at 170 °C above glass transition (T g ) temperature of PS. Fluorescence quenching measurements were performed for each film separately to evaluate the effect of MWNT content on oxygen diffusion. The Stern-Volmer equation for fluorescence quenching is combined with Fick’s law for diffusion to derive the mathematical expressions. Diffusion coefficients (D) were produced and found to be increased from 1.1 × 10 −12 to 41 × 10 −12 cm 2 s −1 with increasing MWNT content. This increase was explained via the existence of large amounts of pores in composite films which facilitate oxygen penetration into the structure.