Issue 5, 2013

A simple solution for the determination of pristine carbon nanotube concentration

Abstract

Upon dispersant-assisted exfoliation, pristine carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are divided between the supernatant and precipitate, which makes the determination of dispersant concentration a challenging task. We have developed a thermogravimetric-spectroscopy-based approach to accurately determine the dispersant-assisted CNT (or nanoparticles, in general) concentration in dispersion. A thermogravimetric analysis of the filtered and washed precipitate, that is usually discarded after centrifugation, is used here to accurately calculate the CNT mass in the precipitate and (through mass-balance) its mass in the supernatant. Once the true CNT concentration has been determined, a conventional spectroscopy-based concentration calibration plot is constructed for simple and swift use in further concentration measurements. Such true concentration analysis is crucial for studying the concentration–property relationship.

Graphical abstract: A simple solution for the determination of pristine carbon nanotube concentration

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
27 Sep 2012
Accepted
04 Jan 2013
First published
07 Jan 2013

Analyst, 2013,138, 1490-1496

A simple solution for the determination of pristine carbon nanotube concentration

M. Shtein, I. Pri-bar and O. Regev, Analyst, 2013, 138, 1490 DOI: 10.1039/C2AN36399B

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements