DISPERSITY AND STABILITY MEASUREMENT OF FUNCTIONALIZED MULTIWALLED CARBON NANOTUBES IN ALCOHOLS

摘要

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were dispersed in various alcohols such as methanol, ethanol and isopropanol using ultrasonication. In order to disperse the MWCNTs in the alcohols, they were treated using a mixture of H2SO4 and HNO3 (3 : 1, vol/vol). The concentration of MWCNTs was approximately 0.03 wt.% and they formed a homogeneous dispertion in the alcohol solutions. The functional groups introduced on the surface of the MWCNTs during the acid treatment were characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The dispersibility of the MWCNTs in the alcohols was characterized using atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The stability of the MWCNT dispersions was also measured using a recently developed optical analyzer (Turbiscan).