Measuring the diffusion coefficient of single-wall carbon nanotubes in liquids

Abstract

Abstract This work is devoted to the experimental study of the diffusion of single-walled carbon nanotubes in liquids. The mass concentration of nanotubes varied from 0.00001 to 0.15. As the base fluid, water is used with the addition of two different surfactants: polyvinylpyrroli-done and sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate. The concentration of surfactant is two times the concentration of nanotubes. The measurements are performed using the dynamic light scattering method. The diffusion and sizes of surfactant molecules have been preliminary studied. The diffusion coefficient of carbon nanotubes are investigated. Using these data the size distributions of nanotubes are obtained. The dependence of diffusion coefficients on the concentration of carbon nanotubes is examined.