Keywords: CNT, dispersion, fugitive
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) do not disperse very easily in organic media or at low viscosities. Thus, to produce a nanomaterial coating that can be applied by various methods, such as screen printing or ink-jet printing, the dispersed material must have the appropriate chemical properties and the dispersion method must be carefully selected. Moreover, the dispersion medium’s chemistry must allow for formulation of non-viscous and viscous materials alike and possibly function as a fugitive material to avoid interfering with the properties of the deposited nanomaterials. Most electronic nanomaterials have properties such that any surfactant or polymer used in the dispersion medium to disperse the nanomaterials, stabilize the dispersion, or increase its viscosity hinders the electronic nature of the nanomaterial and therefore must be removed. The nanomaterial’s chemistry must also allow for adjustments to the formulation that make the coating thermally stable at up to 300oC or the give it the ability to be fugitive as low as 130oC but still stable enough at room temperature to maintain its form or function. In other words, dispersing CNTs poses many challenges. In this work, we have devised a polymer-based system for dispersing CNTs that addresses these issues.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 2, Nanotechnology 2011: Electronics, Devices, Fabrication, MEMS, Fluidics and Computational
Published: June 13, 2011
Pages: 547 - 549
Industry sectors: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing | Sensors, MEMS, Electronics
Topic: Micro & Bio Fluidics, Lab-on-Chip
ISBN: 978-1-4398-7139-3