Carbon nanotubes prepared by meltspinningof core-shell polymer particles

Abstract

The present authors developed a new method to prepare carbon nanotubes (CNT), whereby fine core-shell polymer particles are elongated by melt-spinning and then stabilized and carbonized. However, after its removal, no trace of the core polymer can be found in the resultant CNT. This behavior is investigated by TG-Mass spectroscopy. The shell polymer is thermally decomposed into small chemical fragments and disordered loose residue. The former are released through the latter, together with small fragments formed from the core polymer at nearly the same temperature range. After the removal of the core polymer, the shell residue is gradually rearranged into a dense carbon with increasing temperature. No trace of the core polymer remains in the resultant CNT.