Multi-walled carbon nanotube dispersion by dispersants with different chemical structures

Abstract

Carbon Nanotubes(CNTs) are inevitably released into environment due to their wide production and application, their environmental behavior and risks are greatly controlled by their dispersion and aggregation. Polymers and surfactants were found dispersing CNTs well, however their dispersion mechanism is still not clear. Two kinds of polymers and one kind of surfactant were selected to investigate in this study, the adsorption results showed steric hindrance and electrostatic repulsion were the obstruction to adsorption and the electrostatic attraction might be the main contribution to highest adsorption of PVP. Different from adsorption, the electrostatic repulsion and steric hindrance were the essential contribution to dispersion, which in turn the highest dispersion of PSS.