title: Super-robust, lightweight, conducting carbon nanotube blocks cross-linked by de-fluorination.
abstract: We produced large binder-free multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) blocks from fluorinated MWNTs using thermal heating and a compressing method in vacuo. This technique resulted in the formation of covalent MWNT networks generated by the introduction of sp(3)-hybridized carbon atoms that cross-link between nanotubes upon de-fluorination. The resulting carbon nanotube blocks are lighter than graphite, can be machined and polished, and possess average bending strengths of 102.2 MPa, a bending modulus of 15.4 GPa, and an electrical conductivity of 2.1 x 10(2) S/cm. Although each nanotube exhibits a random structure in these blocks, the mechanical properties are 3 times higher than those obtained for commercial graphite. On the basis of theoretical molecular dynamics simulations, a model is presented for the nanotube interconnecting mechanism upon de-fluorination.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-6-20, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579, Japan. hige@bucky1.kankyo.tohoku.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ootsubo
authors.forename: Go
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Lier
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terrones
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hashiguchi
authors.forename: Hisamichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Motomiya
authors.forename: Balachandran
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jeyadevan
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hashida
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tohji
mesh_terms: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D005461:Fluorine / Q000737:chemistry*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D005461:Fluorine