Facile preparation of folded structured single-walled carbon nanotube hybrid paper: Toward applications as flexible conductor and temperature-driven switch

摘要

Co-assemble diverse functional nanomaterials with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) to form folded structured SWCNT hybrid papers are potentially desirable for the applications in flexible conductors and phase change materials, due to the combination of folded porous structure and the synergistic effects between SWCNTs and nanomaterials. Herein, we report a scalable strategy to fabricate multifunctional folded structured SWCNT hybrid papers via processes of freeze drying-mechanically pressing technique. These characteristics featuring high porosity, flexibility and interconnection enable the compartmental films to be bent, resulting in folded structure. To investigate their properties and applications, the specific folded paper based on SWCNTs, Ag nanoparticles and alginate is developed. The folded structure enables the conductors to possess excellent mechanical performance and resistance-strain stability under various deformations. Moreover, the folded porous paper is also employed as temperature-driven switch to be capable of tuning the contact angle of water with superior reversibility by thermally activating the transition between air/liquid(1)/liquid(2)/solid system and air/liquid/solid system via the thermo-responsive phase change of paraffin, indicating an important branch of liquid transfer. We have a great expectation that the assembly proposed can afford a universal route to prepare other folded structured hybrid papers based on various functional nanoparticles, nanotubes and nanosheets. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.