Polyvinylchloride-single-walled carbon nanotube composites: Thermal and spectroscopic properties

Abstract

Nanocomposites of single-walled carbon nanotubes dispersed within polyvinylchloride have been obtained by using the solution path. High-power sonication was utilized to achieve a good dispersion of carbon nanotubes. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that during the synthesis, processing, or thermal analysis of these nanocomposites the released chlorine is functionalizing the single-walled carbon nanotubes. The loading of polyvinylchloride by single-walled carbon nanotubes increases the glass transition temperature of the polymeric matrix, demonstrating the interactions between macromolecular chains and filler. Wide Angle X-Ray Scattering data suggested a drop of the crystallite size and of the degree of crystallinity as the concentration of single-walled carbon nanotubes is increased. The in situ chlorination and amorphization of nanotube during the synthesis (sonication step) is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Copyright © 2012 Mircea Chipara et al.