Deagglomeration and Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes Using Microfluidizer® High Shear Fluid Processors

For many carbon nanotube (CNT) applications, paramount performance can be achieved if the CNTs get deagglomerated, frequently shortened, and uniformly dispersed in liquid media. Microfluidizer high shear fluid processors were used successfully to disperse single- and multi- wall CNTs in various liquid media including polymer resins, organic solvents and water. Processing deagglomerated the CNTs and caused them to form networks inside the liquid media. Length reduction of CNTs was possible and controlled based on the processing conditions. During processing, CNTs detached from the catalyst substrate, facilitating purification. Finally, the electrical resistivity of polymer/CNT composites was measured as a function of CNT concentration. For samples processed with the Microfluidizer processor, the volume resistivity of the composites decreased by seven orders of magnitude as the CNT concentration increased from 0.008wt% to 0.06wt%. There was no change in resistivity for the baseline samples.