AVS 57th International Symposium & Exhibition
    Plasma Science and Technology Friday Sessions
       Session PS-FrM

Paper PS-FrM6
Solution Plasma Processing of Carbon Nano-Fillers in Ammonia Aqueous Solution for Preparation of Polymer Nano-Composite Materials

Friday, October 22, 2010, 10:00 am, Room Aztec

Session: Liquids and Multiphase Discharges
Presenter: T. Shirafuji, Nagoya University, Japan
Authors: T. Shirafuji, Nagoya University, Japan
Y. Noguchi, Nagoya University, Japan
J. Hieda, Nagoya University, Japan
N. Saito, Nagoya University, Japan
O. Takai, Nagoya University, Japan
Correspondent: Click to Email
Solution Plasma Processing (SPP) has been performed in ammonia aqueous solution for amino functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The MWCNTs, which do not disperse in aqueous solution, have uniformly dispersed after the SPP. The treatment time for obtaining 10 g of the well-dispersed MWCNTs was only 2 hours. Infrared absorption spectroscopy of the SPP-treated MWCNTs revealed that NH2 bonds were formed on the MWCNTs. The destruction of the MWCNT structure was not observed as shown by the characteristic Raman spectrum. The composite materials were prepared with the SPP-treated MWCNTs and polyamide 6 (PA6), and showed better tensile, bending and impact strength than those of non-treated MWCNTs and polyamide 6. Grafting of the ε-aminocaproic acids has been performed on the NH2 sites of the MWCNTs. Appearance of the amide-I and amide-II bands in the infrared absorption spectrum of the grafted sample indicated that the grafting was successfully achieved. By grafting the ε-aminocaproic acids, which has the molecular structure of one segment of the PA6, we can expect hydrogen bonding between the N-H and O=C sites in the PA6 and grafted epsilon-aminocaproic acids, and can expect further improvement in mechanical strength of the PA6/MWCNT composites.