TY - JOUR
T1 - Facile and green method for polystyrene grafted multi-walled carbon nanotubes and their electroresponse
AU - Hu, Huating
AU - Hui, K. N.
AU - Hui, K. S.
AU - Lee, S. K.
AU - Zhou, W.
PY - 2012/2/20
Y1 - 2012/2/20
N2 - Polystyrene (PS) microspheres with a mean diameter of 69nm were prepared by emulsion polymerization. The PS microspheres were successfully decorated to multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) induced by benzoyl peroxide in water during a high temperature refluxing process under nitrogen atmosphere. The as-prepared multi-walled carbon nanotube/polystyrene (MWNT/PS) nanocomposites were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and electrical resistance measurements. The results reveal that PS microspheres are mainly covalently grafted onto the walls of MWNTs. The PS-decorated MWNTs show high solubility in toluene and xylene without sedimentation after 24h. With MWNTs in the hybrids, PS achieved a considerable increase in electrical conductivity and glass-transition temperature (T g). In particular, the obtained MWNT/PS composites were examined for electrorheological (ER) fluids, which showed thin and dense chains of particles after the application of an electric field. The facile and environmentally friendly technique presented in the present study could be an effective and promising method for the functionalization of MWNTs by other polymers.
AB - Polystyrene (PS) microspheres with a mean diameter of 69nm were prepared by emulsion polymerization. The PS microspheres were successfully decorated to multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) induced by benzoyl peroxide in water during a high temperature refluxing process under nitrogen atmosphere. The as-prepared multi-walled carbon nanotube/polystyrene (MWNT/PS) nanocomposites were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and electrical resistance measurements. The results reveal that PS microspheres are mainly covalently grafted onto the walls of MWNTs. The PS-decorated MWNTs show high solubility in toluene and xylene without sedimentation after 24h. With MWNTs in the hybrids, PS achieved a considerable increase in electrical conductivity and glass-transition temperature (T g). In particular, the obtained MWNT/PS composites were examined for electrorheological (ER) fluids, which showed thin and dense chains of particles after the application of an electric field. The facile and environmentally friendly technique presented in the present study could be an effective and promising method for the functionalization of MWNTs by other polymers.
KW - Electrorheological fluid
KW - Functionalization
KW - Grafting
KW - Microsphere
KW - Multi-walled carbon nanotube
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84862832294&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2011.12.066
DO - 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2011.12.066
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84862832294
VL - 396
SP - 177
EP - 181
JO - Colloids and Surfaces A-Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects
JF - Colloids and Surfaces A-Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects
SN - 0927-7757
ER -