Possible tactics to improve the growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes by chemical vapor deposition

The growth time, growth mode and the method of preparing the supported catalysts play an important role in the growth of single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs). Their effects on the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of SWNTs with MgO-supported catalysts were investigated in this study. It is shown that the growth rate of SWNTs was large during the initial few minutes of growth, however the quality of the tubes was low owing to the formation of many defects. Long term growth may favor the formation of tubes with high quality and high yield, but the introduction of other forms of carbon (impurities) is also unavoidable. There was a balance between the increase in yield and quality and sacrifice of the purity during growth of SWNTs. MgO-supported catalysts prepared by the co-precipitation method were found to be more effective for the synthesis of SWNTs than those prepared by the widely used impregnation method. The size and dispersion state of the catalyst were found to be crucial in enhancing the growth of SWNTs. In addition, growth on the surface of SWNTs over nanosized catalyst films was shown to be more favorable for the synthesis of tube products with higher quality, yield and purity.     

Structure evolution of conductive polymer composites revealed by solvent vapor induced time-dependent percolation

The authors of this paper synthesized a series of amphiphilic triblock copolymers of polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-polystyrene (PS-PEG-PS) having different PEG/PS ratios with nearly identical molecular weights of the entire copolymers. The interfacial interactions in the composites consisting of carbon black and the copolymers can thus be tailored. When these conducting composites are exposed to certain solvent vapors, their electrical resistances greatly increase, showing the gas sensitivity. The present work indicated that this switching behavior is controlled by the structural relaxation of the composites because matrix swelling acts as the main mechanism. The response time has been correlated with absolute temperature by Arrhenius equation, and the estimated activation energy reflects mobility of the fillers involved in the solvent induced expansion of the surrounding polymer. Therefore, by using the gas sensibility of the conductive composites, the structure evolution of the composite materials in solid state and the effect of filler/matrix interfacial interaction on the relaxation property of the matrix polymer has been inspected. It was found that lower activation energy represents stronger interfacial interaction in case good solvent of the matrix was used for the test.     

Surface characteristics of fluorine-modified PAN-based carbon fibers

Different fluorination methods were applied to modify the surface properties of carbon fibers. The relationship between the degree of fluorination and the physicochemical properties of carbon fibers was studied using a combination of mechanical tests, elemental analysis (EA), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). EA and XPS analyses of fluorinated carbon fibers showed that treatment with mixtures of F₂/O₂ introduced a much higher fluorine concentration than that with F₂ only. However, XRD analysis showed that there was no increase in the interlayer distance, due to the mild fluorination condition applied. Consequently, the oxyfluorination was one of the more effective methods to increase surface polarity of carbon fibers, which probably played an important role in improving the tensile properties of the fibers in the epoxy resin system.     

Understanding chemical reactions between carbons and NaOH and KOH: An insight into the chemical activation mechanism

Direct mixing of an anthracite with hydroxides (KOH or NaOH) and heat treatment up to 730 °C has shown to be a very good activation procedure to obtain activated carbons with very high surface areas and high micropore volumes. The reactions involved during the heat treatment of these hydroxide/anthracite mixtures have been analysed to deep into the fundamental of the knowledge of this chemical activation process, that has not been studied before. For this purpose, the present paper analyses the drying process, the atmosphere during the carbonisation, the chemical state of the activating agents (NaOH, KOH and Na₂CO₃) and the chemical reactions occurring during the heat treatment which have been followed by FTIR and TPD. The analysis of our results allows us to conclude that steam is a good atmosphere for the carbonisation process, alone or joined with nitrogen, but not as good as pure nitrogen. On the other hand, during the activation process, the presence of CO₂ should be avoided because it does not develop porosity. The reactions, and chemical changes, involved during this chemical process are discussed both from a thermodynamical point of view as well as identifying the reaction products (H₂ by TPD and Na₂CO₃ by FTIR). As a result, this paper helps to cover the present lack of understanding of the fundamentals of the reactions of an anthracite with hydroxides which are necessary to understand the activation of the material.     

Phase composition and properties of solid solutions of GdFeO3–GdInO3 bulks

Solid solutions of the GdFeO₃–GdInO₃ system were prepared at 1550 °C by ceramic powder processing. The formulated composition was Gd(Fe_1−xIn_x)O₃ (GFI) with the indium contents at x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0. A stable phase of Gd(Fe_1/3In_2/3)O₃ in our system was identified by X-ray diffraction and phase composition analysis. Multi-phase morphologies were observed for GFI bulks with x = 0.5 and 0.75. Dielectric and electrical properties of the GFI bulks were investigated. The addition of 25% In³⁺ in GdFeO₃ had an obvious enhancement in polarization and led to an elevated resonance frequency. Dielectric properties of GFI bulks except GdInO₃ were strongly dependent upon the test frequency, which corresponded to the response of polarization mechanism. GdInO₃ displayed as a stable dielectric, which was frequency- and temperature-insensitive. GdInO₃ was thermally activated and became leaky until above 600 °C.     

Material removal and surface damage in EDM of Ti3SiC2 ceramic

Material removal and surface damage of Ti₃SiC₂ ceramic during electrical discharge machining (EDM) were investigated. Melting and decomposition were found to be the main material removal mechanisms during the machining process. Material removal rate was enhanced acceleratively with increasing discharge current, i_e, working voltage, u_i, but increased deceleratively with pulse duration, t_e. Microcracks in the surface and loose grains in the subsurface resulted from thermal shock were confirmed, and the surface damage in Ti₃SiC₂ ceramic led to a degradation of both strength and reliability.     

Tribological behavior of PTFE nanocomposite films reinforced with carbon nanoparticles

Carbon-based nanoparticles synthesized by heat treatment of nanodiamond in the temperature range of 1000–1900 °C were added to PTFE film to investigate the structural effect of the carbon particles on the tribological properties of PTFE composite film. Carbon-based nanoparticles were prepared by milling with micron sized beads in chemically treated water before their addition to PTFE film. The wear and frictional properties of PTFE nanocomposite film were measured by the ball on plate type wear test. The wear resistance of PTFE film was found to be enhanced by the addition of 2 wt% of carbon nanoparticles. The wear coefficient of PTFE film was decreased from 16.2 to 3.5 × 10⁻⁶ mm³/N m by the addition of carbon-based nanoparticles heat-treated at 1000 °C. Increasing the heating temperature of the nanodiamonds caused the extent of aggregation and particle size to increase. The wear resistance of PTFE nanocomposite film was enhanced by the addition of nanodiamonds heat-treated at 1000 °C, but decreased when the heat treatment temperature of carbon nanoparticles was further increased. Tribological behavior of PTFE nanocomposite films depending on the types of carbon nanoparticles were explained based on the structural, physical and chemical modification of carbon nanoparticles.     

Study of the effective parameters on mechanical and electrical properties of carbon black filled PP/PA6 microfibrillar composites

In this study the electrical and mechanical properties of microfibrillar polypropylene (PP)/polyamide6 (PA6) blend filled with super conductive carbon black (CB) have been investigated. In situ microfibrillar PP/PA6 composites filled with CB are produced using a single screw extruder equipped with a spinneret. Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) grafted polypropylene (PP-g-GMA) is used as the compatibilizer. To investigate the effects of extensional flow on the microstructure, electrical and mechanical properties, three adaptors with various convergence angles were designed, prepared and applied between the extruder and the spinneret. To optimize the effects of processing and material parameters on the electrical and mechanical properties, the Taguchi method of experimental design is used. Material and processing factors which are studied include: concentration of PA6, compatibilizer level, CB concentration, drawing speed of melt spinning line, adaptor angle, order of mixing and temperature profile along the extruder. The results show an increase in DC conductivity of up to 10¹¹ times in comparison with pure PA6, by increasing the concentration of CB, drawing speed, adaptor angle and optimizing other parameters. By optimizing processing and material factors studied here, strength of microfibrillar structured composites is increased of up to 80% in comparison to pure PP.     

基于HMS87C1408B的籽棉、菜籽和粮食水分综合测试仪

介绍了使用HMS87C1408B作为主控芯片的籽棉、菜籽和粮食水分综合测试仪的实现方法,重点说明了阻抗变换、软件驱动LCD和语音播报技术的实施.