Structural Properties of Chemically Functionalized Carbon Nanotube Thin Films

• Main Authors: Konstantinos Papagelis, Costas Galiotis, John Parthenios, George Trakakis, Dimitrios Tasis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2013-06-01
• Series: Materials
• Subjects: carbon nanotubes; buckypaper; oxidation; epoxidation; mechanical properties; electrical properties
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/6/6/2360

Buckypapers are thin sheets of randomly entangled carbon nanotubes, which are highly porous networks. They are strong candidates for a number of applications, such as reinforcing materials for composites. In this work, buckypapers were produced from multiwall carbon nanotubes, pre-treated by two different chemical processes, either an oxidation or an epoxidation reaction. Properties, such as porosity, the mechanical and electrical response are investigated. It was found that the chemical pretreatment of carbon nanotubes strongly affects the structural properties of the buckypapers and, consecutively, their mechanical and electrical performance.