Facilitating the formation of nanohybrid shish kebab structure in helical polymer systems by using carbon nanotube bundles

Abstract

Periodic patterning of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with semi-crystalline polymers, especially the novel nanohybrid shish kebab (NHSK) superstructure, in which fibrous CNTs act as shish while polymer lamellae as kebab, is of interest both scientifically and technologically. So far the reported NHSK are mostly prepared using polymers with zigzag conformation in crystal and it seems difficult to obtain NHSK using polymer with helical conformation. In this work, we report the formation of NHSK structure by using single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) bundles. A promoted formation of NHSK was observed even using polymer with helical conformation, and the formation mechanism of NHSK was attributed to the unique “groove structure” formed by the stacked SWNTs in parallel arrays, which could facilitate the orientation of helical polymer chains along the SWNTs axis and the lateral formation of stable nucleus. The NHSK structure in helical polymer/SWNT bundles system could widen application of this unique superstructure, offering value in both application field and crystallography aspect as well.