Abstract
Buckypaper (BP) was used as an accumulation of nanotubes to simulate as carbon nanotube (CNT) wires to study the interaction between four different insulating coating materials and CNTs. The wettability and electrical conductivity performance of each CNT/coating pair was assessed. The BP was prepared by filtering a sonicated solution of single-walled carbon nanotubes and N,N-Dimethylformamide, through a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane of 0.45 µm pore size. It was observed with Scanning Electron Microscopy, its chemical composition determined by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, its imperfections and purity measured by Raman Spectroscopy and the porosity (%) and pore distribution obtained by Nitrogen Physisorption. The results showed similar porosity and surface structure to that of reported CNT wires. The surface free energy of the BP was obtained through the Owens-Wendt method, and surface tension of the coatings was calculated with pendant drop measurements to find the adhesion and wettability parameters. Epoxy resin showed the highest wettability and adhesion, which resulted in infiltration into the BP that decreased electrical conductivity by 65%. In contrast, the insulating varnish showed much lower level of wettability and adhesion which resulted in the lowest decrease in conductivity (9.3%).
Highlights
This study investigated the interactions between several insulative coating materials and buckypaper made from single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) to determine the effects of wettability and adhesion on electrical conductivity
Using BP allows for the determination of the properties needed to assess the effects of coatings on a CNT substrate, like a CNT wire
For a porous conductor, such as CNT wires, there exists a trade-off in coating compatibility with the substrate and electrical conduction
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The inclusion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in composites has been shown to enhance the performance of materials used in many industries such as aerospace, automotive, civil infrastructure, marine, and sporting goods [1]. Other material property improvements have been seen in the areas of electrical heating, polarization, energy harvesting, and inductors [2,3,4,5]. The most promising applications of CNTs are the ones where functional materials are made of 100% CNTs. Two areas that can benefit from such materials are transportation and energy distribution, i.e., replacing metal conductors used for electrical wiring and electricity transmission lines with lightweight, multifunctional alternatives
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