Polymers!!!Nanotubes!!!

Matt Montgomery

Kris Behler, Mentor

Dr. Yuri Gogotsi, Advisor

Objective

• Electrically conductive micro-fibers

Method

• Electrospin polymer + nanotube

Electrospinning

http://www.che.vt.edu/Wilkes/electrospinning/Slide1.JPG

Concentrations

• Polymer (≤ 30%)

• Solvent (≥ 70%)

• Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes (≈ 0.1% to 0.02%)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1

Concentrations of Species in Solution

MWCNTs

Polymer

Solvent

Polymer:• (PVDF= Polyvinylidene-fluoride)

Solvent:• (DMA = Dimethyl-aniline)

• (DMF = Dimethyl-formamide)

Our solutions

PVDF pellets

• Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

TEM image

Catalysts

Average diameter between 10 and 20 nanometers

Computer model of MWCNTwww.thomas-swan.co.uk/ pages/nano_images.html

Problems

• Solubility of PVDF

• Viscosity / Solidification

• Nanotube dispersal

Our electrospinningapparatus

Heat lamps to keep solution from solidifying

Fiber Collection plate (copper plate with aluminum foil

wrapped over it)

Fibers

• Do they contain carbon nanotubes?• Are they more conductive?

Our electrospun fibers

More of our fibers

Raman Spectroscopy

Standard carbon nanotube signature

Raman Spectra shows characteristic peaks– 1330 cm-1 D-band

– 1430 cm-1 PVDF peak– 1584 cm-1 G-Band

λ = 633 nm, 500x mag, 500sec Slide courtesy of Kris Behler

Carbon nanotubes successfully embedded in PVDF!

Research continues.