Carbon Nanotube Film/Fiber-Based Hybrids by Professor Chang Liu
Professor Chang Liu of the Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences presented research at an NTU MSE seminar on SWCNT-based hybrid materials, including a SWCNT/Cu core-shell fiber with a specific electrical conductivity of 1.15×10⁴ S m² kg⁻¹ and FeCl3-filled CNT fibers reaching 1.35×10⁷ S m⁻¹ conductivity and 2.54 GPa tensile strength. The work advances CNT fiber and film applications in electrical conductors, thermoelectric devices, and electrocatalysis by addressing the longstanding dispersion challenge that has limited SWCNT composite development.
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), with their unique one-dimensional tubular structure and exceptional physical and chemical properties, are ideal for reinforcing various composites. Despite their potential, single-wall CNTs (SWCNTs) with small diameters present dispersion challenges that have hindered the development of SWCNT-based composites. In a recent seminar, the fabrication and properties of hybrid materials using pre-formed SWCNT thin films and fibers were discussed. SWCNT fibers, with diameters of 20-30 microns, were produced through a wet-spinning process. Subsequently, a SWCNT/Cu core-shell fiber was created using magnetron sputtering and electrochemical deposition, achieving a specific electrical conductivity of 1.15×10^4 S m^2 kg^-1. To enhance carrier density, FeCl3 nanoparticles were incorporated into the CNT fibers, resulting in a high electrical conductivity of 1.35 × 10^7 S m−1 and a tensile strength of 2.54 GPa.
SWCNTs were also deposited onto a porous substrate to form thin films with adjustable thicknesses. A flexible SWCNT/Bi2Te3 hybrid was developed using magnetron sputtering, employing the SWCNT network as a scaffold. This hybrid film demonstrated excellent thermoelectric performance and flexibility. Additionally, Nano Pt/SWCNT hybrid membranes, containing ultra-fine Pt nano cubes along the SWCNT bundles, were prepared and used as membrane electrodes, exhibiting superior electrocatalytic performance for ammonia oxidation.
Professor Chang Liu, from the Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, is a leading researcher in this field. He completed his Ph.D. in materials science at the same institute in 2000. Between 2004 and 2005, he was a research fellow at the International Center for Young Scientists, National Institute for Materials Science, Japan. His research focuses on the preparation, properties, and applications of carbon nanotubes and their hybrids. Professor Liu has published over 200 peer-reviewed papers with more than 20,000 citations, holds over 40 patents, and has delivered more than 50 invited talks at international conferences. He is currently an editor for the Carbon and Nano Materials Science journals.
Source: Carbon Nanotubes Feed