Abstract
Spontaneous exfoliation of single-walled carbon nanotubes on dilution of dispersions in a common solvent, N-methyl-pyrrolidone, is demonstrated. The free-energy of mixing is negative, confirming athermal solubility. Scanning tunneling microscopy measurements show physisorption of the solvent to the nanotube (see figure). Experiments, supported by a simple model, show that successful solvents for nanotubes are those with surface tensions close to that of graphite.
Type
Publication
Advanced Materials
Silvia Giordani
Full Professor Chair of Nanomaterials
My research interests are in the design, synthesis, and characterization of hybrid smart nanomaterials for biomedical, energy and environmental applications