title: Relation of the number of cross-links and mechanical properties of multi-walled carbon nanotube films formed by a dehydration condensation reaction.
abstract: Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) films were prepared by employing a condensation reaction utilizing 1,3-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) to cross-link each MWCNT with carboxylic acid and hydroxyl groups. Morphological changes in the resultant MWCNT films were monitored using scanning electron microscopy and showed that the MWCNTs were randomly intertwined in the films. The prepared MWCNT films were 17 mm in diameter and 20 microm in thickness, and the apparent density was 0.59 g/cm(3). Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy confirmed that each MWCNT modified with carboxylic acid and hydroxyl groups was cross-linked through the ester bond. It was found that the ratio of the number of ester cross-links and carbon atoms of the nanotubes per unit apparent volume (cm(3)) of condensed-MWCNT films was 5.27 x 10(-3) using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The tensile strength and Vickers hardness of condensed-MWCNT films achieved an average of 15 and 9.2 MPa, respectively, and were greater than those of free-standing MWCNT films without ester bond.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8579, Japan.
authors.forename: Shin-Ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ogino
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Go
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Kenichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasamori
authors.forename: Hisamichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hashida
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Motomiya
authors.forename: Balachandran
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jeyadevan
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tohji
mesh_terms: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D003681:Dehydration; D004024:Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D036103:Nanotechnology; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013696:Temperature; D013718:Tensile Strength; D013818:Thermogravimetry
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D004024:Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide