Carbon-Based Nanofillers and Their Rubber Nanocomposites

Carbon Nano-Objects

Srinivasarao Yaragalla, Raghvendra Kumar Mishra, Sabu Thomas, Nandakumar Kalarikkal, Hanna J. Maria

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN:
  9780128132487
• eBook ISBN:
  9780128132494
• Topic: Tecnología e ingeniería
• Subtopic: Ingeniería química y bioquímica

Carbon-Based Nanofillers and Their Rubber Nanocomposites: Carbon Nano-Objects presents their synthetic routes, characterization and structural properties, and the effect of nano fillers on rubber nanocomposites. The synthesis and characterization of all carbon-based fillers is discussed, along with their morphological, thermal, mechanical, dynamic mechanical and rheological properties. In addition, the book covers the theory, modeling and simulation aspects of these nanocomposites, along with various applications. Users will find this a unique contribution to the field of rubber science and technology that is ideal for graduates, post graduates, engineers, research scholars, polymer engineers, polymer technologists, and those in biomedical fields. - Reviews rubber nanocomposites, including carbon associated nanomaterials (nanocarbon black, graphite, graphene, carbon nanotubes, fullerenes and diamond) - Presents the synthesis and characterization of carbon based nanocomposites - Relates the structure of these nanocomposites to their function as rubber additives and their many applications - Discusses suitable analytical techniques for the characterization of carbon-based nanocomposites

Chapter One

Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications of Carbon Nanotubes

Filipe V. Ferreira^{1, 2}, Wesley Franceschi², Beatriz R.C. Menezes², Audrey F. Biagioni^{3, 4}, Aparecido R. Coutinho⁵ and Luciana S. Cividanes², ¹School of Chemical Engineering, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil, ²Chemistry Department, Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA), São José dos Campos, Brazil, ³International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy, ⁴Departament of Pharmacology, Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, ⁵Laboratory of Carbon Materials, Methodist University of Piracicaba (UNIMEP), Santa Bárbara d’Oeste, Brazil

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been studied extensively by researchers from different areas, which has led to improvements in their synthesis and characterization, and an ever-increasing range of applications has emerged. This chapter highlights various approaches to the synthesis and characterization of CNTs, as well as recent research progress on their potential applications as reinforcements in polymer nanocomposites, electronic devices, and biomedical materials. A brief history of CNTs and their properties have been addressed in other sections. Finally, the main methods to overcome the key barriers that limit the application of CNTs are presented herein on the basis of experimental and theoretical studies.

Keywords

Carbon nanotubes; synthesis; characterization; carbon nanocomposites; electronic devices; biological applications

Contents

• Future Perspectives 1
• 1.1 Introduction 2
• 1.2 Brief History of Carbon Nanotubes 2
  • 1.2.1 Synthesis 4
  • 1.2.2 Properties 6
  • 1.2.3 Characterization 7
• 1.3 Potential Applications of Carbon Nanotubes 15
  • 1.3.1 Reinforcement in Polymer Nanocomposites 16
  • 1.3.2 Electronic Devices 20
  • 1.3.3 Biological Applications 24
  • 1.3.4 Important Barriers That Limit the Application of Carbon Nanotubes 30
• 1.4 Conclusions 30
• Acknowledgments 31
• References 31

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge FAPESP (2017/02846-5, 2016/09588-9, 2016/18218-0, 2014/17492-6, 2014/10742-7) and CNPq (Grant 141197/2014-5) for financial support. The authors would also like to thank Dr. Emily R. Aurand for editorial support.

Future Perspectives

The amazing properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have paved the way for a wide range of potential applications. The applications mainly include reinforcement phases in polymer nanocomposites and electronic devices. Moreover, CNTs can also be coupled with medical materials for biomedical applications. This indicates that CNTs can be used in a multidisciplinary approach. Polymer nanocomposites prepared with CNTs can be lighter than conventional aluminum and stronger than carbon fiber-based polymer composites used in many applications. The use of CNTs offers great promise for achieving efficient electron transfer in electronic devices. In biomedical fields, CNTs are used in several applications such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, neural implants, and so on. Despite this broad potential application of CNTs, the synthesis of this nanomaterial remains a bottleneck in their commercial application. The production of structurally perfect nanotubes at large scales is still a challenge, and both quality and production costs of CNTs need to be taken into account to consider the large-scale applications. Improvements in synthesis methods and the continuous production of CNTs by different companies are likely to improve quality and reduce the cost in the coming years. It is only a matter of time before we experience mass production of CNTs at high quantity and low cost. Thus, it is fair to say that the commercial opportunities of CNTs still live in the future.

1.1 Introduction

The field of nanotechnology has been widely researched and a number of new materials with different nanostructures (sizes and shapes) have appeared in the past few decades [1–5]. These nanomaterials have some novel properties that are typically not observed in their micro-size counterparts, opening the path to new opportunities for applications [6–8]. Among these materials, CNTs are one of the most explored nanomaterials due to their amazing properties, such as high aspect ratio, exceptional optical and electrical properties, and high tensile strength [9], which make them viable candidates for a wide variety of potential applications [10–12]. Recent publications have shown that the range of applications of CNTs is increasing even more [13–16] and improved methods of synthesis and characterization have emerged [17–19]. Hence, it seems timely to report the recent progress made on synthesis, characterization, and applications of CNTs. This chapter does not attempt to be a comprehensive review, but to highlight the important advances made in recent years. Following a brief history of CNTs, the synthesis, properties, and characterization of CNTs are discussed. We also provide an overview on recent use of CNTs in different applications, focusing on polymer nanocomposites, electronic devices, and biomedical materials. Finally, the challenges for the future related to dispersion and interaction of CNTs are addressed.

1.2 Brief History of Carbon Nanotubes

CNTs were discovered in 1991 by Iijima [2] and since then CNTs have attracted enormous interest of researchers from different areas, such as chemistry [20], physics [21], electronics [22], medicine [23], etc. CNTs are nanostructured and one-dimensional carbon materials which can be thought of as graphitic sheets wrapped around to form cylindrical tubes [24]. These tubes display sp²-hybridized carbon, where each carbon atom is connected to three others on the x–y plane [25]. There are two types of CNTs: the single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) and the multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT). SWCNTs consist of a graphene layer rolled up into a single seamless tube which forms self-assembled cables on nanoscale, while MWCNTs consist of multiple concentric nanotubes encircling one another [26–28]. Three chiralities are observed in CNTs: armchair, zigzag, and chiral [29,30]. Each chirality is related to the rolling angle of the graphene sheet, as observed in Fig. 1.1.

Figure 1.1 Three chiralities of carbon nanotube engineered by rolling-up a graphene sheet (A): (B) zigzag, (C) chiral, and (D) armchair. Source: Reprinted from Ref. [31], with permission from The Royal Society of Chemistry.

The unit cell of CNTs can be described by a chiral vector C_h = na₁ + ma₂, with a different combination of graphene base vec...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• List of Contributors
• Chapter One. Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications of Carbon Nanotubes
• Chapter Two. An Overview of the Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications of Carbon Nanotubes
• Chapter Three. Wet Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes and Its Applications in Rubber Composites
• Chapter Four. Synthesized Carbon Nanotubes and Their Applications
• Chapter Five. Nanocrystalline Diamond: A High-Impact Carbon Nanomaterial for Multifunctional Applications Including as Nanofiller in Biopolymeric Matrices
• Chapter Six. Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications of Diamond Films
• Chapter Seven. Synthesis and Electrochemical Performance of Transition Metal-Coated Carbon Nanofibers on Ni Foam as Anode Materials for Lithium Secondary Batteries
• Chapter Eight. Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications Carbon Nanofibers
• Chapter Nine. Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications of Graphene and Derivatives
• Chapter Ten. Wet Functionalization of Graphene and Its Applications in Rubber Composites
• Chapter Eleven. Computational Homogenization of Anisotropic Carbon/Rubber Composites With Stochastic Interface Defects
• Chapter Twelve. Fabrication Methods of Carbon-Based Rubber Nanocomposites
• Index