A functional liquid-like multiwalled carbon nanotube derivative in the absence of solvent and its application in nanocomposites

Abstract

A multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) derivative with liquid-like behaviour at room temperature was prepared by attaching Fe₃O₄ on the surface of MWCNT and employing tertiary amine terminated organosilanes as a corona and sulfonic-acid as a canopy. The MWCNT derivative is a Newtonian fluid at low shear rate. It has relative low viscosity at room temperature (3.87 Pa s at 25.7 °C). It shows good solubility in organic solvents such as ethanol, acetone and dichloroethane. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images confirmed the good dispersion of the MWCNT derivative in the solvent and the epoxy matrix. The MWCNT derivative is a super-paramagnetic material with a specific magnetization of 2.68 emu g⁻¹. According to the TEM image, the derivative can be aligned in the epoxy matrix under a magnetic field. The MWCNT derivative can improve the impact toughness of pure epoxy by 194% and the glass transition temperature (T_g) by 16.9 °C. The MWCNT derivative has many novel properties and can be used in nanocomposites.