Bulk dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes in silicones using diblock copolymers
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1
McMaster University, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Canada
The interactions of a series of poly(3-decylthiophene)-block-polydimethylsiloxanes (P3DT-b-PDMS) with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are investigated. The formation of supramolecular complexes of P3DT-b-PDMS with SWNTs is studied in THF, toluene, xylenes, and CHCl3, and the resulting complexes are characterized by UV-Vis-NIR absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The P3DT-b-PDMS-SWNT and P3DT-SWNT complexes are further incorporated into a commercially available silicone rubber formulation. Percolation thresholds of <0.02% (P3DT-b-PDMS-SWNT) and <0.05% (P3DT-SWNT) are measured. A decrease in the percolation threshold when using the block copolymer for nanotube dispersion is observed, suggesting that the presence of a covalently-linked PDMS block improves SWNT distribution in the silicone elastomer and allows a percolation network to form at low SWNT loadings. In addition, it is found that entanglement of the silicone block of P3DT-PDMS with bulk silicones results in anchoring of the nanotubes within the composite, and leads to reversible conductivity changes upon repeated stretching and relaxation.
Keywords:
nanocomposite,
nanotube,
material design,
Polymeric material
Conference:
10th World Biomaterials Congress, Montréal, Canada, 17 May - 22 May, 2016.
Presentation Type:
Poster
Topic:
Composites: polymeric, ceramic and metallic
Citation:
Chadwick
RC,
Fong
D,
Rice
NA,
Brook
MA and
Adronov
A
(2016). Bulk dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes in silicones using diblock copolymers.
Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Conference Abstract:
10th World Biomaterials Congress.
doi: 10.3389/conf.FBIOE.2016.01.00715
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Received:
27 Mar 2016;
Published Online:
30 Mar 2016.