10th International Aerosol Conference September 2 - September 7, 2018 America's Center Convention Complex St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Abstract View
Constitution Analysis of CNT Aerogel and Its Thermal Property Modification and Characterization
ZHANG XIAO, Adam M Boies, University of Cambridge
Abstract Number: 1353 Working Group: Materials Synthesis
Abstract Due to the outstanding properties of individual carbon nanotube (CNT), their corresponding assemblies, CNT aerogel and corresponding mat have been research hotspots for years as advanced electrical and thermal material. By using the one-step continuous growth technique (floating-catalyst chemical vapor deposition, FCCVD) and continuous collection method, scale up synthesis of CNT aerogel has realized and shown a bright future of CNT aerogel applications.
However, the degradation of properties when individual CNTs were used to form assemblies (including CNT aerogel) have been repeatedly shown in reported and our experiment results.
The large discrepancy between bulk thermal properties and individual CNTs motivated high-fidelity characterizations of CNT constitution after aerogelation, especially individual CNTs’ length in aerogel, due to its significant effect on CNT-CNT overlapping length and junctions number in aerogel, and then heat conduction pathway in CNT aerogel.
This presentation will firstly report an ex situ characterization of individual CNTs from the CNT aerogel. De-aerogelation was realized by extracting and isolation of individual CNTs from intertwining CNT aerogel. With dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis, scanning and transmission electron microscope (SEM and TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy and Photoluminescence and Raman analysis, the constitution unit of CNT aerogel have been characterized systematically with high-fidelity.
For the sake of thermal conductivity improvement on CNT aerogel and mat, with comprehensive understanding on constitution of CNT aerogel, growth parameters during FCCVD have been optimized to get longer individual CNTs before forming a CNT aerogel, which was believed to offer a better heat conduction pathway in CNT aerogel. Moreover, with state-of-the-art steady state thermal conductivity measurement system, we will also show the thermal conductivity modification influence of decorated hexagonal boron nitride nanoflakes on CNTs.
These results will aid in fully realization of perfect individual CNT properties in the CNT aerogel, especially optimization of CNT aerogel thermal properties, so that applications of CNT aerogel can be explored and implemented in sectors such as the automotive and aeronautic industries.