Properties of composites of fluorinated single walled carbon nanotubes and polyacrylonitrile

Abstract

Composites of polyacrylonitrile (PAN ) and single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) as well as fluorinated SWNTs produced by evaporation of suspensions of PAN and SWNTs while being subjected to sonication are characterized. Raman measurements of the PAN/SWNT composites showed upward shifts of the tangential mode frequency of the SWNT compared to that of the pristine SWNT while in composites of the fluorinated SWNTs the tangential mode shifted down. These results are indicative of interaction between the PAN and the SWNT. Hardness measurements as a function of weight percent SWNTs indicated that composites made from the fluorinated SWNTs had larger tensile strengths than composites made from non functionalized SWNTs having the same number of carbon nanotubes. Composites of the non-functionalized SWNTs were highly conducting while those made of the fluorinated SWNTs were not.