Brahim Aïssa

Ultraviolet‐Assisted Direct‐Write Fabrication of Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Nanocomposite Microcoils

[*] Prof. D. Therriault, L. L. Lebel Laboratory of Multi-scale Mechanics, Center for Applied Research on Polymers (CREPEC) École Polytechnique of Montreal C.P. 6079, succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3A7 (Canada) E-mail: daniel.therriault@polymtl.ca B. Aissa, Prof. M. A. E. Khakani Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, INRS-Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications 1650 Blvd. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, QC J3X 1S2 (Canada)

Self-Healing Materials Systems: Overview of Major Approaches and Recent Developed Technologies

The development of self-healing materials is now being considered for real engineering applications. Over the past few decades, there has been a huge interest in materials that can self-heal, as this property can increase materials lifetime, reduce replacement costs, and improve product safety. Self-healing systems can be made from a variety of polymers and metallic materials. This paper reviews the main technologies currently being developed, particularly on the thermosetting composite polymeric systems. An overview of various self-healing concepts over the past decade is then presented. Finally, a perspective on future self-healing approaches using this biomimetic technique is offered. The intention is to stimulate debate and reinforce the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in this exciting field.

Photocurrent generation in random networks of multiwall-carbon-nanotubes grown by an “all-laser” process

We report photocurrent generation in entangled networks of multiwall-carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) grown on TiN/Si substrates by an all-laser process. By integrating these MWCNTs into planar devices, we demonstrate that they generate photocurrent over all the visible and near-ultraviolet range, with maximum efficiency around 420 nm. Photocurrent is obtained even at zero applied voltage, pointing to a true photovoltaic (PV) effect. The extracted photocurrent as a function of applied voltage exhibits nonlinear behavior for voltages ≥2 V, suggesting that the devices do not behave as pure photoresistances. Other mechanisms (e.g., Schottky barriers imbalance) are invoked to describe current flow in these PV devices.

Fluidic patch antenna based on liquid metal alloy/single-wall carbon-nanotubes operating at the S-band frequency

This letter describes the fabrication and characterization of a fluidic patch antenna operating at the S-band frequency (4 GHz). The antenna prototype is composed of a nanocomposite material made by a liquid metal alloy (eutectic gallium indium) blended with single-wall carbon-nanotube (SWNTs). The nanocomposite is then enclosed in a polymeric substrate by employing the UV-assisted direct-writing technology. The fluidic antennas specimens feature excellent performances, in perfect agreement with simulations, showing an increase in the electrical conductivity and reflection coefficient with respect to the SWNTs concentration. The effect of the SWNTs on the long-term stability of antennas mechanical properties is also demonstrated.

Recent progress in the growth and applications of graphene as a smart material: a review

Innovative breakthroughs in fundamental research and industrial applications of graphene material have made its mass and low-cost production a necessary step toward its real world applications. This one-atom thick crystal of carbon, gathers a set of unique physico-chemical properties, ranging from its extreme mechanical behavior to its exceptional electrical and thermal conductivities, which are making graphene as a serious alternative to replace many conventional materials for various applications. In this review paper, we highlight the most important experimental results on the synthesis of graphene material, its emerging properties with reference to its smart applications. We discuss the possibility to successfully integrating graphene directly into device, enabling thereby the realization of a wide range of applications, including actuation, photovoltaic, thermoelectricity, shape memory, self-healing, electrorheology and space missions. The future outlook of graphene is also considered and discussed.

Structural and physical properties of the dust particles in Qatar and their influence on the PV panel performance

Recently, extensive R&D has been conducted, both by industry and academia, to significantly raise the conversion efficiency of commercial photovoltaic (PV) modules. The installation of PV systems aimed at optimizing solar energy yield is primarily dictated by its geographic location and installation design to maximize solar exposure. However, even when these characteristics have been addressed appropriately, there are other factors that adversely affect the performance of PV systems, namely the temperature-induced voltage decrease leading to a PV power loss, and the dust accumulation (soiling). The latter is the lesser acknowledged factor that significantly influences the performance of PV installations especially in the Middle East region. In this paper we report on the investigation of the structural and physical properties of the desert-dust particles in the State of Qatar. The dust particles were collected directly from the PV panels installed in desert environment and characterized by different techniques, including scanning electron, optical and atomic force microscopies, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive, UV-Vis, micro-Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The vibrating sample magnetometry analyses were also conducted to study the magnetic properties of the dust particles. The influence of the dust accumulation on the PV panel performance was also presented and discussed.

Transport properties of a highly conductive 2D Ti3C2Tx MXene/graphene composite

We report on the elaboration and transport properties of a sandwich like 2-dimensional Ti3C2Tx MXene/Graphene composite through alternating electrospray of MXene and graphene materials. The structural and electrical properties were systematically investigated with respect to the graphene content. The surface roughness of the samples has found to decrease considerably after the graphene integration. Electrical measurements show a clear trend to increase in both electrical conductance and Hall carrier mobility with respect to the graphene concentrations, and even reach the values of 9.5 × 104 S/cm and 54.58 cm2/V s, respectively, for only 2.5 wt. % of graphene, rendering this MXene based composite one of the most electrically conductive to date.

Electrical transport properties of single wall carbon nanotube/polyurethane composite based field effect transistors fabricated by UV-assisted direct-writing technology

We report on the fabrication and transport properties of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/polyurethane (PU) nanocomposite microfiber-based field effect transistors (FETs). UV-assisted direct-writing technology was used, and microfibers consisting of cylindrical micro-rods, having different diameters and various SWCNT loads, were fabricated directly onto SiO₂/Si substrates in a FET scheme. The room temperature dc electrical conductivities of these microfibers were shown to increase with respect to the SWCNT concentrations in the nanocomposite, and were about ten orders of magnitude higher than that of the pure polyurethane, when the SWCNT load ranged from 0.1 to 2.5 wt% only. Our results show that for SWCNT loads ≤ 1.5 wt%, all the microfibers behave as a FET with p-type transport. The resulting FET exhibited excellent performance, with an I(on)/I(off) ratio of 10⁵ and a maximum on-state current (I(on)) exceeding 70 µA. Correlations between the FET performance, SWCNTs concentration, and the microfiber diameters are also discussed.

Micromechanical characterization of single-walled carbon nanotube reinforced ethylidene norbornene nanocomposites for self-healing applications

We report on the fabrication of self-healing nanocomposite materials, consisting of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) reinforced 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene (5E2N) healing agent?reacted with ruthenium Grubbs catalyst?by means of ultrasonication, followed by a three-roll mixing mill process. The kinetics of the 5E2N ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) was studied as a function of the reaction temperature and the SWCNT loads. Our results demonstrated that the ROMP reaction was still effective in a large temperature domain (???15?45??C), occurring at very short time scales (less than 1?min at 40??C). On the other hand, the micro-indentation analysis performed on the SWCNT/5E2N nanocomposite material after its ROMP polymerization showed a clear increase in both the hardness and the Young modulus?up to nine times higher than that of the virgin polymer?when SWCNT loads range only from 0.1 to 2?wt%. The approach demonstrated here opens new prospects for using carbon nanotube and healing agent nanocomposite materials for self-repair functionality, especially in a space environment.

Super-high-frequency shielding properties of excimer-laser-synthesized-single-wall-carbon-nanotubes/polyurethane nanocomposite films

Electromagnetic shielding attenuation (ESA) properties of carbon nanotubes/polymer nanocomposite films, in the super high frequency (SHF) X-band (7–12 GHz) domain are studied. The nanocomposite films consisted of thermoset polyurethane (PU) resin blended with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) mats, and deposited on fused quartz substrates. Two different approaches were used to achieve the nanocomposite films, namely (i) through the on-substrate “all-laser” growth approach of SWCNTs directly onto substrate, followed by their infiltration by the PU resin, and (ii) by appropriately dispersing the chemically-purified SWCNTs (in the soot form) into the PU matrix and their subsequent deposition onto quartz substrates by means of a solvent casting process. Characterizations of the ESA properties of the developed nanocomposite films show that they exhibit systematically a deep shielding band, centered at around 9.5 GHz, with an attenuation as high as |− 30| dB, recorded for SWCNT loads of 2.5 wt. % and abov...