Dispersion Of Carbon Nanofibers Research Articles

Effect of Carbon Nanofiber Distribution on Mechanical Properties of Injection-Molded Aramid-Fiber-Reinforced Polypropylene.

The mechanical recycling of discarded plastic products as resources for environmental preservation has recently gained research attention. In this context, it is necessary to use waste materials for fiber-reinforced thermoplastics (FRTP). Glass and carbon fibers are often damaged by shear and compression during melt-forming processes. To achieve a sustainable society, it is necessary for thermal recycling to produce minimal to no residue and for mechanical recycling to maintain the length of fibers used in FRTP to preserve their performance as a reinforcing agent. Aramid fibers (AFs) do not shorten during the melt-molding process, and their composites have excellent impact strength. On the other hand, plastics reinforced with glass or carbon fibers are reported to have a superior strength and modulus of elasticity compared to aramid fibers. This study investigates the dispersion of a carbon nanofiber (CNF), a whisker, as the third component in aramid-fiber-reinforced polypropylene (PP/AF). The results and discussion sections demonstrate how the dispersion of CNF in PP/AF can enhance the mechanical properties of injection-molded products without compromising their impact resistance. The proposed composition will have excellent material recyclability and initial mechanical properties compared to glass-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics.

Simple dispersion of carbon nanofibers in a naturally occurring polyphenol in water and their electrochemical characteristics

Carbon nanofibers are hydrophobic with poor dispersion in water. They are normally functionalised using highly acidic solutions and elevated temperatures. In this communication, we show that tannic acid can be employed at room temperature using a simple sonication method to give very good dispersions of the CNFs in distilled water. Using a factorial design, the three components, the sonication period, the concentration of tannic acid and the concentration of CNFs were found to be significant, while the concentration of the tannic acid as a single component had an equally significant effect. The optimum conditions were 1.0–1.25 mg mL−1 of CNFs, and 0.85 – 1.0 mM of tannic acid with a sonication period between 50 and 60 min. The well-dispersed CNFs exhibited very good electrochemical characteristics, with efficient electron transfer in the oxidation of acetaminophen, which was used as a model analyte.

Hierarchical N-doped carbon nanofiber-loaded NiCo alloy nanocrystals with enhanced methanol electrooxidation for alkaline direct methanol fuel cells

The high catalytic activity of non-precious metals in alkaline media opens a new direction for the development of alkaline direct methanol fuel cell (ADMFC) electrocatalysts. Herein, a highly dispersed N-doped carbon nanofibers (CNFs) -loaded NiCo non-precious metal alloy electrocatalyst based on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) was prepared, which conferred excellent methanol oxidation activity and resistance to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning through a surface electronic structure modulation strategy. The porous electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers and the P-electron conjugated structure of polyaniline chains provide fast charge transfer channels, enabling electrocatalysts with abundant active sites and efficient electron transfer. The optimized NiCo/N-CNFs@800 was tested as an anode catalyst for ADMFC single cell and exhibited a power density of 29.15 mW cm−2. Due to the fast charge transfer and mass transfer brought by its one-dimensional porous structure and the synergistic effect between NiCo alloy, NiCo/N-CNFs@800 is expected to be an economical, efficient and CO-resistant methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) electrocatalyst.

Carbon nanofiber dispersion in alkali solution and its reinforcement of alkali-activated volcanic ash-based geopolymers

Volcanic ash has several negative impacts on the environment and can be used in massive to synthesize geopolymers, which are considered quasi-brittle. Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) can reinforce the geopolymers, and the dispersion of CNFs directly determines the reinforcement effect. However, the dispersion of CNFs in alkali solutions is challenging. In this paper, the effect of surfactant type, dosage, and ultrasonic time on CNFs dispersion in aqueous and alkali solutions was investigated by the quantitive method of microscopic image processing to determine the preferred dispersion scheme. Zeta potential tests and visual observation were used to analyze the mechanism and stability. Based on this, volcanic ash-based geopolymer nanocomposites with 0.1 wt% contents of CNFs were synthesized. The mechanical properties were tested, and the microstructure was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy and Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry. The results showed that methylcellulose (MC), polycarboxylate superplasticizer (PC), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) could disperse CNFs in aqueous, but evident aggregations can be observed in the alkali solution. PC performed better than MC and PVP in alkali solutions, with 4.83% aggregation area of the whole image, 86% of 0–100 μm2 aggregations, and an average aggregation area of 87 μm2, beneficial from the comb-like structures. Dispersed CNFs can improve the 28-d flexural and compressive strength of the resulting geopolymer nanocomposite by 23% and 16%, respectively, and refine the pore structure through filling, bridging, and nucleation effects, decreasing the average pore size and porosity by 33% and 15%. This paper will contribute to the resourceful use of volcanic ash to reduce pollution and the higher reinforcement of CNFs in alkali-activated geopolymers.

In–situ synthesis of MnO dispersed carbon nanofibers as binder-free electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors

Manganese oxides have attracted great interest as promising pseudocapacitive materials due to its low cost, variable oxidation states, and high theoretical capacitance. In this work, we report the in-situ synthesis of MnO-dispersed carbon nanofibers (CNFs) using electrospinning and a unique two-step carbonization technique. While the single-step carbonization resulted in mixed MnxOy forms, however, by employing a suitable and optimized two-step carbonization, we were able to obtain CNFs assimilated with MnO nanoparticles (MnO-CNFs). The synthesized MnO-CNF electrodes achieved a high specific capacitance of 246 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 in a three-electrode system. A symmetric supercapacitor device assembled with these electrodes exhibited remarkable electrochemical performance with a maximum power density of 5000 W kg−1, maximum energy density of 14 W h kg−1, and an excellent cycling stability (97.5% retention after 10,000 cycles). The exceptional electrochemical performance of MnO-CNFs makes them promising electrode materials for practical energy storage applications.

Defective ZnOx@porous carbon nanofiber network inducing dendrite-free zinc plating as zinc metal anode for high-performance aqueous rechargeable Zn/Na4Mn9O18 battery based on hybrid electrolyte

Aqueous rechargeable batteries (ARBs) have appealed extensive research interests due to its superiorities of high safety, environmental protection and low redox potential. A Zn/Na 4 Mn 9 O 18 ARB with metal Zn as anode, Na 4 Mn 9 O 18 (NMO) as cathode and Na + /Zn 2+ hybrid-ion as electrolytes has been the focus of attention in recent years. Nevertheless, serious dendrite formation and side reactions impede the application of a Zn anode and the development of the ARBs. In this study, an independent self-supporting defective ZnO x dispersed porous carbon nanofibers (ZnO x @PCNF) is designed as the main body of zinc metal anode to solve this problem. It is revealed from ab initio molecular dynamics simulation (AIMD) that ZnO with oxygen defect can promote the surfacely uniform Zn deposition. In this situation, the ZnO x @PCNF/Zn||Zn symmetrical battery shows high reversibility and free of Zn dendrites. A full cell is assembled by selecting the NMO cathode and ZnO x @PCNF/Zn anode, and it remains a high reversible capacity of 44.5 mAh g −1 after 200 cycles at 4 C, showing one of the best electrochemical performance of ARBs by using Zn-NMO system. The research has important guiding significance for design and fabricate of defects-containing materials and has a positive impact on the exploitation of high performance ARBs. 1. Defective ZnO anchored porous carbon nanofibers as the host material for Zn metal. 2. Defective ZnO induces surfacely uniform Zn deposition. 3. NMO||ZnO x @PCNF/Zn full cell shows great electrochemical performance.

Synchronously enhanced thermal properties and fracture toughness of epoxy composites through melamine foam templated dispersion of carbon nanofibers

Fabricating the thermally conductive composites through incorporating fillers into polymer matrix is usually at the sacrifice of the fracture toughness. To resolve such contradiction, this work proposed a feasible but highly efficient method of constructing the thermally conductive path in the epoxy composite at extremely low filler content. The polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) modified carbon nanofibers (P-CNFs) were coated on the three-dimensional (3D) framework surface of the melamine foam (MF), then the epoxy resin was impregnated into the MF@P–CNF. The results showed that the assembled structure of MF@P-CNFs could be well reserved in the epoxy composite. Consequently, at extremely low P–CNF content (0.8 wt%), the MF@P–CNF/EP sample shows the largely enhanced thermal conductivity (0.4 W/m·K) and glass transition temperature (167 °C) compared with the pure epoxy sample (0.2 W/m·K and 162 °C). Specifically, the composite sample also shows the apparently enhanced fracture toughness. Therefore, it is believed that coating CNFs on the 3D interconnected framework of MF is a promising way to prepare the epoxy composites with good comprehensive properties.

Effect of compatibilising agents on the morphological, thermal and rheological properties of high density polyethylene/carbon nano fiber composites

ABSTRACT High-density polyethylene filled with low-volume fractions of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were prepared by melt-compounding. Two types of maleic anhydride (MAH) grafted polymers such as polypropylene-grafted-maleic anhydride (PPgMAH) and polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene-graft-maleic anhydride (PSgMAH) were selected as compatibilizing agents for the nanocomposites. The combined effects of these agents along with carbon nanofiber on the morphological and thermal properties were examined. All the composites mainly displayed a strong XRD reflection peak at 21.6° followed by a less intensive peak at 24.0°, correspond to the unit cell structure of (110) and (200) reflection planes. Scherrer analyses of XRD data showed no significant changes in the crystalline nature of nanocomposites with respect to the neat PE. Microscopic examinations revealed that the dispersion of CNFs in the nanocomposite matrices was well dispersed within the matrix without leaving any voids. DSC analysis showed clear miscibility of CNF in the HDPE matrix and showed almost same melting temperature. TGA results showed that PE/CNF samples blended with PSgMAH exhibited higher thermal stability. The melt rheological analysis of HDPE/CNF composites was performed using an oscillatory rheometer. From flow curve, it could be understood that processing of these kinds of polymer nanocomposites is quite easy at moderate high shear rate. The oscillatory rheological analysis showed the shear-thinning behavior for the prepared composites. An improvement in the viscoelastic modulus was observed as the nanofiber concentration increases. The progress in the modulus values was attributed to the structural rigidity imparted by the high aspect ratio CNF.

Heat resistant and thermally conductive polylactide composites achieved by stereocomplex crystallite tailored carbon nanofiber network

As a renewable and environmentally friendly polymer, poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) has immense feasibility to replace traditional thermoplastics. However, the present application of PLLA as an engineering plastic in microelectronic devices still faces some obstacles, such as poor heat resistance and low thermal conductivity. In the present work, a facile solution compounding processing was employed to comprise poly(D-lactic acid) (PDLA) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) into PLLA composites. Microstructure characterizations showed that the presence of PDLA not only induced a large amount of stereocomplex crystallites (SCs) but also promoted denser CNF network in the composites. Consequently, in contrast to the PLLA/CNF samples, the PLLA/PDLA/CNF samples showed largely promoted heat resistance and thermal conductivity. At 50 wt% PDLA and 20 wt% CNFs, the sample showed the heat resistant temperature (HRT) of 196.7 °C, about 56.7 °C greater than that of the PLLA/CNF (20 wt%), and the thermal conductivity of 2.34 Wm-1K−1, 1014% greater than that of the PLLA. The mechanisms were largely ascribed to the SCs formation, which promoted the stacking of CNFs to a certain extent. Specifically, SCs organized into a compact physical network at relatively high PDLA content, which exhibited a ‘locking’ effect on dispersion of CNFs, leading to the efficient lap of thermally conductive filler in the composites. This work indicates that in-situ forming SCs is a promising strategy for regulating the filler’s thermal conductive network in PLLA-based polymer, and the composites may be alternative engineering plastics of the future.

Printable alginate/gelatin hydrogel reinforced with carbon nanofibers as electrically conductive scaffolds for tissue engineering

Shortages of organs and damaged tissues for transplantation have prompted improvements in biomaterials within the field of tissue engineering (TE). The rise of hybrid hydrogels as electro-conductive biomaterials offers promise in numerous challenging biomedical applications. In this work, hybrid printable biomaterials comprised of alginate and gelatin hydrogel systems filled with carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were developed to create electroconductive and printable 3-D scaffolds. Importantly, the preparation method allows the formation of hydrogels with homogenously dispersed CNFs. These hybrid composite hydrogels were evaluated in terms of mechanical, chemical and cellular response. They display excellent mechanical performance, which is augmented by the CNFs, with Young's moduli and conductivity reaching 534.7 ± 2.7 kPa and 4.1 × 10−4 ± 2 × 10−5 S/cm respectively. CNF incorporation enhances shear-thinning behaviour, allowing ease of 3-D printing. In-vitro studies indicate improved cellular proliferation compared to controls. These conductive hydrogels have the potential to be used in a myriad of TE strategies, particularly for those focused on the incorporation of electroconductive components for applications such as cardiac or neuronal TE strategies.

Reduction of Thermal Conductivity Through Complex Microstructure by Dispersion of Carbon Nanofiber in p-Type Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 Alloys

Reduction of Thermal Conductivity Through Complex Microstructure by Dispersion of Carbon Nanofiber in p-Type Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 Alloys

Evaluation of degradation and mineralization of glyphosate pollutant in wastewater using catalytic wet air oxidation over Fe-dispersed carbon nanofibrous beads

• Complete degradation of PMG is possible by CWAO over porous Fe-CNF/ACB. • Kinetic model based on L-H type mechanism was proposed for degradation of PMG. • Toxicity assay confirmed treated solution to be environmentally safe. The current study introduces catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) as an efficient technique for complete mineralization of glyphosate or N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine (PMG) in wastewater using the iron nanoparticle (Fe NP)-dispersed carbon nanofibers (CNFs) decorated over activated carbon beads (ACBs) (~0.8 mm size). A high BET specific surface area of Fe-CNF/ACB (~338 m 2 /g), good Fe-loading (~4 mg/g), high thermal stability (25 – 1000 °C), augmented exposure of the Fe NPs to the surrounding liquid, and graphitic characteristics (I D /I G = 0.946) of the CNFs, all contribute towards efficient CWAO of the aqueous PMG. The experimental data show complete degradation of PMG at 100 mg/L at 220 °C and 25 bar within 6 h, using the catalyst dose of 0.75 g/L. The turnover frequency value was calculated to be 2.056 × 10 −2 s −1 , indicating an efficient role of the active Fe metal sites in degradation of PMG. Additionally, 80% chemical oxygen demand removal was measured in 6 h using Fe-CNF/ACB. Assuming the pseudo-first-order rate kinetics, the rate constant and apparent activation energy were calculated to be 0.01 min −1 at 220 °C, and ~50 kJ/mol, respectively. Initiated by the reactive hydroxyl radicals generated in the aqueous solution, PMG was converted to CO 2 , H 2 O, and some inorganic ions via formation of sarcosine and amino methyl phosphonic acid intermediates. The treated water showed no toxicity. The method of preparation for the Fe-CNF/ACB catalyst and the CWAO technology are scalable and should be explored to treat the other recalcitrant herbicide, pesticide and pharmaceutical organic compounds.

Structural health monitoring methods, dispersion of fibers, micro and macro structural properties, sensing, and mechanical properties of self‐sensing concrete—A review

AbstractSelf‐sensing composites are now becoming extremely attractive for the applications in civil engineering structures in order to enhance the safety and service life. In the new generation carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and nanotubes (CNTs) have shown good electrical, mechanical, and thermal parameters which inspired in the development of innovative nanocomposites with great and multifunctional properties. Among the numerous advances in civil engineering, the introduction of such carbon fibers to cement based materials produces cementitious materials as a smart or self‐sensing. Such smart composites reveal a noticeable change in their electrical conductivity with applied stress/strain and this special characteristic makes them helpful for monitoring of structures. However, there are still issues with CNFs and CNTs dispersion in case of cementitious composites, which impede the effective transfer of nanomaterials properties into the composites. Present paper presents a critical review on the dispersion of CNFs and CNTs within cementitious matrices, mechanical and electrical properties for the health monitoring of civil engineering structures.

Hydrogen production through hydrolysis of sodium borohydride: Highly dispersed CoB particles immobilized in carbon nanofibers as a novel catalyst

Agglomeration of CoB catalysts is a severe problem in hydrogen generation from NaBH4 hydrolysis. Herein, highly dispersed carbon nanofiber immobilized CoB catalysts (CoB/CN) were synthesized by a combined prereduction and carbonization method, which is used in hydrogen generation from NaBH4 hydrolysis. Morphological evolution of carbon nanofibers, phase structure and elemental distribution of CoB/CN catalysts are explored by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Compared to Co/carbon nanofiber catalysts (Co/CN) without prereduction, CoB/CN catalysts can afford higher CoB dispersity and specific surface area because the migration rate of cobalt species during carbonization is effectively retarded by prereduction. Hence the agglomeration of magnetic CoB nanoparticles can be effectively inhibited. The hydrogen generation experiment shows that CoB/CN catalysts process higher catalytic activity and lower activation energy than Co/CN.

Nanostructure and Fracture Behavior of Carbon Nanofiber-Reinforced Cement Using Nanoscale Depth-Sensing Methods.

In recent years, carbon nanofibers have been investigated as a suitable reinforcement for cementitious composites to yield novel multifunctional materials with improved mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and self-sensing behavior. Despite several studies, the interactions between carbon nanofibers and Portland cement hydration products are not fully understood, with significant implications for the mechanical response and the durability at the macroscopic lengthscale. Thus, the research objective is to investigate the influence of carbon nanofibers on the nanostructure and on the distribution of hydration products within Portland cement paste. Portland cement w/c = 0.44 specimens reinforced with 0.0 wt%, 0.1 wt%, and 0.5 wt% CNF by mass fraction of cement are cast using a novel synthesis procedure. A uniform dispersion of carbon nanofibers (CNF) via a multi-step approach: after pre-dispersing carbon nanofibers using ultrasonic energy, the carbon nanofibers are further dispersed using un-hydrated cement particles in high shear mixing and mechanical stirring steps. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy analysis shows that carbon nanofibers fill nanopores and connect calcium–silicate hydrates (C–S–H) grains. Grid nano-indentation testing shows that Carbon nanofibers influence the probability distribution function of the local packing density by inducing a shift towards higher values, = 0.76–0.93. Statistical deconvolution analysis shows that carbon nanofibers result in an increase in the fraction of high-density C–S–H by 6.7% from plain cement to cement + 0.1 wt% CNF and by 10.7% from plain cement to cement + 0.5 wt% CNF. Moreover, CNF lead to an increase in the C–S–H gel porosity and a decrease in both the capillary porosity and the total porosity. Based on scratch testing, adding 0.1 wt% CNF yields a 4.5% increase in fracture toughness and adding 0.5 wt% CNF yields a 7.6% increase in fracture toughness. Finally, micromechanical modelling predicts an increase of respectively 5.97% and 21.78% in the average Young’s modulus following CNF modification at 0.1 wt% CNF and 0.5 wt% CNF levels.

Effects of carbon nanofibers on carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics made with in situ polymerizable polyamide 6

The effects of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) on the mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTPs) made with in situ polymerizable polyamide 6 (PA6), which are derived through the polymerization of ε-caprolactam, were discussed. Although it is difficult to disperse CNFs in solvents, including molten polymers, ε-caprolactam was successfully obtained with good CNF dispersibility. CFRTPs with good dispersion of CNFs were molded while maintaining moldability below the CNF weight fraction of 0.5 wt%. Furthermore, it was revealed that CNFs increased the molecular weight of PA6, and the elastic modulus of the matrix polymer increased. As a result, the stress transfer ability increased, and the bending properties of the CFRTPs, particularly the bending strength, also increased.

Effect of microstructural features on the thermal conducting behavior of carbon nanofiber–reinforced styrene-based shape memory polymer composites

This article presents a novel hierarchical micromechanics approach to carefully investigate the thermal conductivities of styrene-based shape memory polymer composites containing carbon nanofibers. The research is mainly focused on the simulation of carbon nanofiber/shape memory polymer interfacial thermal resistance and carbon nanofiber agglomeration as two critical microstructural features of carbon nanofiber–shape memory polymer composite materials. The computed results are compared with the available experimental measurements. It is found that both of those microstructural factors along with carbon nanofiber non-straight shape significantly affecting the thermal conducting behavior must be incorporated in the analysis to have a more realistic prediction. The thermal conductivity of carbon nanofiber–reinforced shape memory polymer composites reduces significantly due to the effects of carbon nanofiber/shape memory polymer interfacial resistance and carbon nanofiber agglomeration and waviness. It is suggested to uniformly disperse carbon nanofibers into the shape memory polymers and reduce interfacial resistance for improving the carbon nanofiber–styrene composite thermal properties. In addition, the present study reveals that the effective thermal conductivities of the shape memory polymer composites reinforced by aligned carbon nanofibers are greatly enhanced over those of the shape memory polymer composites containing randomly dispersed carbon nanofibers. The effects of percentage, waviness parameters, degree of agglomeration, material properties, length and diameter of carbon nanofibers as well as interfacial thermal resistance value on the thermal behavior of carbon nanofiber–reinforced styrene-based shape memory polymer composites are investigated.

Metal Doped Carbon Nanofiber for Ratio Tunable Syngas Catalyst By CO2 Reduction

Due to the influence of human beings in the modern society, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is rapidly increasing, which causes various environmental problems such as abnormal climate caused by global warming and destruction of ecosystem due to ocean acidification. Therefore, many institutional, scientific, and engineering efforts are being made to reduce the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. From the scientific point of view, to make the fuels and chemicals we need from the atmospheric CO2, electrochemical reduction of CO2 is actively being studied. The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction can be divided into two categories, one for synthesizing multi-carbon products directly such as ethylene or ethanol and the other for producing syngas mixed with CO and H2. The former is mainly researched on Cu based material and has an advantage in that the desired product can be obtained immediately. In the latter case, by adjusting the ratio of CO and H2 in the synthesis gas, it is possible to synthesize multi-carbon products. The latter method can be said to have an advantage in the purity of the gas phase produced (reduction of separation cost). Research is underway in the form of co-catalysts of CO production catalyst like Au, Ag, Zn, Cu & H2 production catalysts. Because simply increasing the current density is not a good thing, but it must be able to maintain an industrially meaningful range of syngas ratios (1 to 3) while producing a high current density. Therefore, the potential window of studies on the rate-controlled syngas studied so far is typically high below -1.2V Vs RHE and high current density of ~ 30 mA/cm2. The reported lifetime at this level of current density is less than 10 hours, and for papers that report longer lifespans of tens to 100 hours, measured at 1 to 2 mA/cm2 levels. We fabricated Ag nanoparticle embedded in Zn dispersed carbon nanofiber to maintain syngas ratio stably in high potential window. In this catalyst carbon nanofiber produces H2 and Ag produces CO and dispersed Zn helps Ag in high potential.We annealed electrospun PAN/zinc nitrate&silver nitrate nanofiber at 800°C 3h in N2 ambient after stabilization in air. From this, we obtained Ag nanoparticle embedded in Zn & N doped carbon nanofiber. Ag tends to form nanoparticle and non-particle Zn was dispersed in carbon nanofiber. we obtained almost potential insensitive syngas ratio unlike conventional Ag catalyst in syngas production. Only N-doped carbon nanofiber sample produced increasing H2 with potential. Zn & N doped carbon nanofiber produced ratio of syngas higher than 2. Ag nanoparticle embedded carbon nanofiber produced ratio of syngas lower than 1 and sharply increased in higher potential (< -1.6V Vs. RHE). However, Ag nanoparticle embedded in Zn & N-doped carbon nanofiber maintained its low ratio of around 0.5 even in -2.2 V Vs. RHE and almost potential insensitive. We altered this insensitive syngas ratio with the mass ratio between carbon nanofiber and Ag/Zn-carbon nanofiber. It made syngas ratio increases slowly with potential and overall syngas ratio can be shifted with the mass of carbon nanofiber.

Sprayable, Superhydrophobic, Electrically, and Thermally Conductive Coating

AbstractA simple to make, multifunctional, heatable, and sprayable superhydrophobic and electrically conductive coating is developed by dispersing carbon nanofibers (CNFs) into a water repelling polymer matrix. The developed coating exhibits an average static and hysteresis contact angles of 160° and 5°, respectively. An electrical conductivity of 1100 S m−1 and a thermal conductivity of 0.001 W m−1 K−1 are obtained with a sample of dimensions: 3 cm × 1 cm × 20 µm. A 12 µm thick coating under an average electric current of 75 mA reaches to a surface temperature of more than 140 °C for a dry coating. The coating when in contact with ice or water (water at 25 °C for 300 h, and at 85 °C for less than an hour) does not show a deterioration of wetting performance. Furthermore, it is shown how this coating can be used to mitigate the ice formation on cold surfaces. The ability of application of the developed coating to various substrates is also shown.

Numerical study of curing thermal residual stresses in GF/CNF/epoxy nanocomposite using a random generator model

The effect of adding carbon nanofibers (CNFs) on thermal residual stresses in polymer nanocomposites was conducted semi-analytically considering aligned and random distribution of CNFs. The Halpin-Tsai-Schapery (HTS) and Mori-Tanaka-Schapery (MTS) models were applied to detect the thermo-mechanical properties. The results illustrated that the FEM model, in which the nanofillers are randomly distributed, is more reliable. The addition of CNFs with random distribution leads to a reduction in residual stresses in longitudinal and transverse direction equally, whereas adding aligned dispersed CNFs in a specific direction leads to reducing further thermal residual stresses compared to a random distribution of CNFs.