Chi P. Huynh

Carbon nanotube modified carbon composite monoliths as superior adsorbents for carbon dioxide capture

Carbon composite monoliths were prepared from a commercial phenolic resin mixed with just 1 wt% of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) followed by carbonization and physical activation with CO2. The products possess a hierarchical macroporous–microporous structure and superior CO2 adsorption properties. In particular, they show the top-ranked CO2 capacity (52 mg CO2 per g adsorbent at 25 °C and 114 mmHg) under low CO2 partial pressures, which is of more relevance for flue gas applications. This matches or exceeds those of carbons produced by complex chemical activation and functionalization. Our study demonstrates an effective way to create narrow micropores through structural modification of carbon composites by CNTs.

Direct spun aligned carbon nanotube web-reinforced proton exchange membranes for fuel cells

A new method combining electrospinning of SPEEK and direct spinning of CNT forests has been used to prepare sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK)/directly spinnable carbon nanotube (dsCNT) composite proton exchange membranes. The SPEEK/dsCNT membrane is more robust than SPEEK alone, and in a fuel cell significantly outperforms both SPEEK and the commercial Nafion 212 membranes.

Expanded graphite/phenolic resin-based carbon composite adsorbents for post-combustion CO2 capture

Porous carbon composite adsorbents were prepared from a commercial phenolic resin mixed with a small proportion of thermally expanded graphite (EG) followed by carbonization and physical activation with CO2. The addition of EG dramatically hastens the CO2 activation and results in remarkably enhanced microporosity development in the EG composite compared to the activated phenolic resin alone. The resultant EG composite adsorbents exhibit high CO2 adsorption capacities at 298 K and excellent CO2/N2 adsorption selectivity. In particular, the EG composite shows superior CO2 uptake at low CO2 pressures (47 mg g−1 at 298 K and 0.15 bar), which is more important to actual flue gas applications in post-combustion capture (PCC). Moreover, EG composite adsorbents are especially attractive as the EG component is inexpensive, available in very large amounts and easy to handle and is only required at a low addition level of around 2 wt%. The rapid CO2 activation and the low burn-off for excellent CO2 adsorption performance at low pressures greatly reduce the energy required to produce the adsorbent and the waste generated in activation. This further enhances the cost and environmental advantages of physically activated EG composites over those PCC adsorbents prepared by chemical activation and functionalization of porous carbons. Hence, due to its superior CO2 adsorption properties and favourable fabrication process, the newly developed EG carbon composite adsorbent holds great promise for large-scale deployment and commercial applications to PCC.

Orientational and electro-optical properties of liquid crystal aligned with a directly spinnable carbon nanotube web

We investigated the orientational and electro-optical properties of a nematic liquid crystal (LC) aligned with a directly spinnable carbon nanotube (CNT) web functioning both as an electrode and as an alignment layer. The LC molecules were uniformly oriented along the drawing direction of the CNT web and the spatially averaged birefringence was comparable to a rubbed polyimide sample. The CNT web sample also showed smaller residual DC and hysteresis compared to the polyimide sample.

Grafting polymer coatings onto the surfaces of carbon nanotube forests and yarns via a photon irradiation process

Surface activation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as forests and yarns, depolytmerization of candidate polymers, and uniform deposition and re-polymerization onto the activated CNTs are simultaneously achieved by exposing CNTs and polymer targets to light with a narrow wavelength distribution from a vacuum ultraviolet lamp. Both polystyrene and poly (methyl methacrylate) are deposited onto the surface of CNTs in the CNT-forest and yarn in a N2 environment for 30 min during which the polymer uniformly coats the carbon nanotubes. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data reveal that covalent bonding occurs at the CNT-polymer interface.

Interaction between Spinnable Multi Wall Carbon Nanotube Webs

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Science, School of Engineering & Science, Curtin University Sarawak, CDT 250 Miri, Sarawak 98009, Malaysia; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast, United Kingdom; Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; CSIROMaterial Science and Engineering (CMSE), Bayview Avenue, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia