Electrical conductivity of poly(vinyl alcohol)/carbon nanotube multilayer thin films: Influence of sodium polystyrene sulfonate mediated carbon nanotube dispersion. Issue 11 (15th September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rama, Prasad; Kummara, Sreenivas; Bandyopadhyaya, Rajdip; Panwar, Ajay S.; Bhattacharyya, Arup R.
• Is Part Of: Polymer engineering & science. Volume 60:Issue 11(2020)
• Page Start: 2864
• Page End: 2875
• Publication Date: 2020-09-15
• Subjects: conducting thin films -- layer by layer assembly -- multi‐walled carbon nanotubes -- poly(sodium 4‐styrene sulfonate) -- zeta potential measurement; Polymer engineering -- Periodicals; Polymers -- Periodicals; 668.9
• DOI: 10.1002/pen.25518
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-3888

Abstract

Abstract: This investigation was aimed to enhance the dispersibility of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) using sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Na‐PSS) polyelectrolyte. Subsequently, electrically conducting, multi‐layer thin films are prepared utilizing layer by layer assembly method with poly(vinyl alcohol) as a host matrix. The highest extent of MWCNT dispersion was observed in MWCNT:Na‐PSS ratio of 1:9 (wt/wt), which was estimated from UV‐Vis spectroscopic analysis. Zeta potential measurements of Na‐PSS modified MWCNT dispersion showed large negative potentials ranging from −52 to −64 mV in the most stable pH range of 4 to 10, suggesting the colloidal stability is due to the long‐range repulsive nature of electrostatic interactions from negatively charged sulfonate groups. Complementary molecular dynamics simulations showed that adsorption of Na‐PSS imparts a large negative potential to the carbon nanotube surface, which increases with an increase in Na‐PSS concentration. The multi‐layer thin film of (1:9) MWCNT:Na‐PSS exhibited a DC electrical conductivity of 2.96 × 10 2 S/m. Abstract : The present work focuses to enhance the dispersibility of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) using sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Na‐PSS) polyelectrolyte. Subsequently, electrically conducting, multi‐layer thin films are prepared utilizing layer by layer assembly method with poly(vinyl alcohol) as a host matrix. The multi‐layer thin film of (1:9) MWCNT:Na‐PSS exhibited a DC electrical conductivity of 2.96×10 2 S/m.