Carbon Nanotube Functionalization, Surfactant Adsorption, and Dispersion

Carbon Nanotube - Ceramic Nancomposites with Enhanced Mechanical Properties

Interfacial Layer Effects on Active Layer Morphology and OPV Device Performance


My dissertation work focused on synthesizing mechanically reinforced ceramic nanocomposites by inserting multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) into the host matrix.  As carbon nanotubes naturally aggregate into bundled structures minimizing the available surface area for stress dissipation, nanotube dispersion studies were undertaken to gain more insight into the fundamental thermodynamics driving aggregation and debundling using both covalent modification of the nanotube sidewalls as well as surfactant assisted adsorption.  Rather than relying on nanotube - ceramic powder blending, in-situ ceramic matrix formation was performed using two different, low temperature routes: fast sol-gel workup and pyrolytic treatment of a polymeric precursor.  In each case, nanocomposite powders were annealed and consolidated by spark plasma sintering prior to mechanical property testing where the synthesized nanocomposites showed both tensile modulus and fracture toughness enhancement.

Clark, M.D.; Krishnamoorti, R. Dispersion of Functionalized Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes. Journal of Physical Chemistry C 113, 20861 (2009).

Clark, M.D.; Subramanian, S.; Krishnamoorti, R. Understanding Surfactant Aided Dispersion of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 354, 144 (2011).

Clark, M.D.; Krishnamoorti, R. Near-Superhydrophobic Thin Films Made From High Purity Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes. (submitted).