Preparation of buckypaper-copper composites and investigation of their conductivity and mechanical properties.

Buckypaper-metal composites are prepared by substrate-enhanced electroless deposition of copper onto strips of buckypaper (see picture). Electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of these buckypaper-copper composites at different copper content are investigated. The conductivity is shown to increases by up to 350 %, and the Young's modulus and the ultimate tensile strength of the composites by 282 % and 290 % respectively over pristine buckypaper.

Recent advances in research on carbon nanotube-polymer composites.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) demonstrate remarkable electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties, which allow a number of exciting potential applications. In this article, we review the most recent progress in research on the development of CNT-polymer composites, with particular attention to their mechanical and electrical (conductive) properties. Various functionalization and fabrication approaches and their role in the preparation of CNT-polymer composites with improved mechanical and electrical properties are discussed. We tabulate the most recent values of Young's modulus and electrical conductivities for various CNT-polymer composites and compare the effectiveness of different processing techniques. Finally, we give a future outlook for the development of CNT-polymer composites as potential alternative materials for various applications, including flexible electrodes in displays, electronic paper, antistatic coatings, bullet-proof vests, protective clothing, and high-performance composites for aircraft and automotive industries.

Chemical functionalization of carbon nanotubes for the mechanical reinforcement of polystyrene composites.

An organometallic approach was used to functionalize multiwalled carbon nanotubes with n-butyllithium. This procedure was repeated two more times to achieve a higher degree of multiwalled carbon nanotube functionalization. The functionalized nanotubes have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetrical analysis, scanning electron microscopy and sedimentation studies. It was possible to form stable suspensions of the functionalized nanotubes in tetrahydrofuran and they were used to make nanotube polymer composites. The mechanical properties of these new nanotube polymer composites were tested and they were found to show an increase of up to 25% in their Young's moduli and up to 50% in their tensile strength over pure polystyrene.

High-yield production of graphene by liquid-phase exfoliation of graphite.

Fully exploiting the properties of graphene will require a method for the mass production of this remarkable material. Two main routes are possible: large-scale growth or large-scale exfoliation. Here, we demonstrate graphene dispersions with concentrations up to approximately 0.01 mg ml(-1), produced by dispersion and exfoliation of graphite in organic solvents such as N-methyl-pyrrolidone. This is possible because the energy required to exfoliate graphene is balanced by the solvent-graphene interaction for solvents whose surface energies match that of graphene. We confirm the presence of individual graphene sheets by Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. Our method results in a monolayer yield of approximately 1 wt%, which could potentially be improved to 7-12 wt% with further processing. The absence of defects or oxides is confirmed by X-ray photoelectron, infrared and Raman spectroscopies. We are able to produce semi-transparent conducting films and conducting composites. Solution processing of graphene opens up a range of potential large-area applications, from device and sensor fabrication to liquid-phase chemistry.