Carbon nanotube composite materials
View Patent ↗A material consisting essentially of a vinyl thermoplastic polymer, un-functionalized carbon nanotubes and hydroxylated carbon nanotubes dissolved in a solvent. Un-functionalized carbon nanotube concentrations up to 30 wt % and hydroxylated carbon nanotube concentrations up to 40 wt % can be used with even small concentrations of each (less than 2 wt %) useful in producing enhanced conductivity properties of formed thin films.
1. A material consisting essentially of a vinyl thermoplastic polymer, un-functionalized carbon nanotubes and hydroxylated carbon nanotubes dissolved in a solvent,
wherein said un-functionalized carbon nanotubes comprise a concentration of greater than 0 wt % and up to approximately 30 wt %, and wherein said hydroxylated carbon nanotubes comprise a concentration of greater than 0 wt % and up to approximately 10 wt %.
2. The material of claim 1 , wherein said vinyl thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(vinylidene fluoride), a polypropylene compound, a polyethylene compound, a polystyrene compound, a polyacrylate compound, a polyvinylchloride compound, a polyvinyl acetate compound, and copolymers thereof.
3. The material of claim 1 , wherein said un-functionalized carbon nanotubes comprise a concentration of greater than 0 wt % and up to approximately 4 wt % 30 wt %.
4. The material of claim 1 , wherein said un-functionalized carbon nanotubes are selected from the group consisting of un-functionalized single-wall nanotubes and un-functionalized multi-wall nanotubes.
5. The material of claim 1 , wherein said hydroxylated carbon nanotubes is selected from the group consisting of hydroxylated single-wall nanotubes and hydroxylated multi-wall nanotubes.
6. The material of claim 1 , wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamine, and methylpyrrolidone solvents.
7. The material of claim 6 , wherein said solvent is mixed with up to approximately 70 wt % of a second solvent selected from the group consisting of acetone, chloroform, chlorobenzenes, toluene, xylene, tetrahydrofuran, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, ethyl acetate, and cyclopentyl methyl ether.
8. The material of claim 1 , wherein said vinyl thermoplastic polymer is poly(vinylidene fluoride) and said solvent is dimethylformamide.
9. The material of claim 8 , wherein said poly(vinylidene fluoride) is dissolved in dimethylformamide, said un-functionalized carbon nanotubes have a concentration of less than 4 wt % and said hydroxylated carbon nanotubes have a concentration of less than 10 wt %.
10. The material of claim 8 , having a concentration of un-functionalized CNTs and hydroxylated CNTs such that the material has a percolation threshold of less than approximately 0.5%.
11. The material of claim 8 , having a concentration of un-functionalized CNTs and hydroxylated CNTs such that the material has a conductivity of greater than 0.01 S/cm.
12. A material consisting essentially of a vinyl thermoplastic polymer, un-functionalized carbon nanotubes, hydroxylated carbon nanotubes and an additive dissolved in a solvent,
wherein said un-functionalized carbon nanotubes comprise a concentration of greater than 0 wt % and up to approximately 4 wt %, and wherein said hydroxylated carbon nanotubes comprise a concentration of greater than 0 wt % and up to approximately 40 wt %.
13. The material of claim 12 , wherein said additive is selected from the group consisting of a surfactant, polystyrene sulfonate and polyethylene glycol.
14. The material of claim 12 , wherein said vinyl thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(vinylidene fluoride), a polypropylene compound, a polyethylene compound, a polystyrene compound, a polyacrylate compound, a polyvinylchloride compound, a polyvinyl acetate compound, and copolymers thereof.
15. The material of claim 12 , wherein said hydroxylated carbon nanotubes comprise a concentration of greater than 0 wt % and up to approximately 10 wt %.
16. The material of claim 12 , wherein said un-functionalized carbon nanotubes are selected from the group consisting of un-functionalized single-wall nanotubes and un-functionalized multi-wall nanotubes.
17. The material of claim 12 , wherein said hydroxylated carbon nanotubes is selected from the group consisting of hydroxylated single-wall nanotubes and hydroxylated multi-wall nanotubes.
18. The material of claim 12 , wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamine, and methylpyrrolidone solvents.
19. A nanocomposite material comprising a non-conductive vinyl thermoplastic polymer, un-functionalized carbon nanotubes, hydroxylated carbon nanotubes, and an optional additive,
wherein said un-functionalized carbon nanotubes comprise a concentration of greater than 0 wt % and up to approximately 4 wt %, and wherein said hydroxylated carbon nanotubes comprise a concentration of greater than 0 wt % and up to approximately 10 wt %.
20. The material of claim 19 , wherein said non-conductive vinyl thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(vinylidene fluoride), a polypropylene compound, a polyethylene compound, a polystyrene compound, a polyacrylate compound, a polyvinylchloride compound, a polyvinyl acetate compound, and copolymers thereof.
21. The material of claim 19 , wherein said un-functionalized carbon nanotubes are selected from the group consisting of un-functionalized single-wall nanotubes and un-functionalized multi-wall nanotubes; and wherein said hydroxylated carbon nanotubes is selected from the group consisting of hydroxylated single-wall nanotubes and hydroxylated multi-wall nanotubes.