A Facile and Green Method to Prepare Conductive Carbon-coated Polymer Microspheres Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

Abstract

We introduce a facile method to synthesize a new class of coreshell microspheres composed of resin core particles coated with various carbon materials. The coreshell microspheres were prepared by a one-pot process in which carbon materials such as edge-exfoliated graphite and expanded graphite were dispersed together with core substrates like polystyrene and poly(styrene/2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) spherical particles in supercritical carbon dioxide. The obtained microspheres were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicate that the carbon shells are tightly attached to the surface of the core substrates. Furthermore, because of excellent adhesion, the carbon-coated polymer particles exhibited extremely high electrical conductivity with particle resistance of less than 50 ³ cm despite the presence of an insulating polymeric core material.

Fabrication of Carbon-Like, π-Conjugated Organic Layer on a Nano-Porous Silica Surface

“…Graphene is significantly small in thickness, and hence it can be used to wrap large surfaces. However, it cannot be used for coating at the nanosized inner interface of the pore [ 40 ]. Therefore, developing a bottom-up carbon structure creation method through which small molecules are adsorbed into the pores and that results in carbonization via post-treatment is necessary.…”

Fabrication of Hollow Silica Microspheres with Orderly Hemispherical Protrusions and Capability for Heat-Induced Controlled Cracking

“…We have previously reported core–shell microspheres with a layered shell of inorganic nanoparticles prepared by a simple process involving modified suspension polymerization of monomer droplets containing inorganic particles, − microparticulation from phase-separated viscose containing inorganic particles, and hybridization of polymer microspheres and inorganic particles using supercritical carbon dioxide. , Various inorganic particles composed of silicon dioxide (silica), iron oxide, titanium oxide (titania), boron nitride, diamond, and carbon materials can be immobilized on the surface of polymer microspheres as the shell component. These core–shell microspheres with a layered shell of inorganic nanoparticles can be used as a precursor of hollow microspheres.…”