title: Three-dimensional nitrogen-doped multiwall carbon nanotube sponges with tunable properties.
abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) nitrogen-doped multiwall carbon nanotube (N-MWCNT) sponge possessing junctions induced by both nitrogen and sulfur was synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The formation of "elbow" junctions as well as "welded" junctions, which are attributed to the synergistic effect of the nitrogen dopant and the sulfur promoter, plays a critically important role in the formation of 3D nanotube sponges. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing the synthesis of macroscale 3D N-MWCNT sponges. Most importantly, the diameter of N-MWCNT can be simply controlled by varying the concentration of sulfur, which in turn controls both the sponge's mechanical and its electrical properties. It was experimentally shown that, with increasing diameter of N-MWCNT, the elastic modulus of the sponge increased while the electrical conductivity decreased. The mechanical behaviors of the sponges have also been quantitatively analyzed by employing strain energy function modeling.
authors.affiliation: Center for Composite Materials, University of Delaware , Newark, Delaware 19716, United States.
authors.forename: Changsheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Wenjie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: X Lucas
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Yupeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zeyuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Ana Laura
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cruz-Silva
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terrones
authors.forename: Bingqing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Jonghwan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suhr
mesh_terms: D004553:Electric Conductivity; D036103:Nanotechnology; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D013455:Sulfur / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D013455:Sulfur; D009584:Nitrogen