Wet-spinning of neat single-walled carbon nanotube fiber from 100+% sulfuric acid

Abstract

Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWNT) have been found to have excellent solubility in super acids such as 100+% H2SO4, and chlorsulfonic acid. The solutions display liquid crystalline behavior at high concentrations in super acids. Traditional wet-spinning method has been applied to SWNTs to make fibers from SWNTs only with the assistance of 100+% H2SO 4 (neat SWNT fibers). Extensive conditions, including concentrations, coagulation, and operation temperature, have been explored with Daca mixer and other custom-designed apparatuses (SBM and Refined Mixer). Fibers' properties have been tremendously improved through the research. Different characterizations have been done and all of them confirmed the neat SWNT fibers have the best alignment to-date among any macroscopic neat SWNT articles, as well as electrical conductivities. Meanwhile, neat SWNT fibers were used for X-ray diffraction study. For the first time, direct evidence has been provided to support the strong intercalation between SWNTs and super acids. Interestingly, for the first time, it has been reported that liquid sulfuric acid forms shell structure while exposed to SWNTs.