Formation of hierarchical structures from functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes in aerosil containing solutions

Abstract

Specific features and regularities of self-assembly and self-organization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) have been studied for diffusion-limited conditions (method of drops) in water-based (deionized water) colloidalal solutions with aerosil exposed to DC electric fields with magnitudes of 15 to 25 V. Studies of hierarchical structure formation during drop evaporation in uniform electric fields have revealed the formation of 40–120 nm sized linear piecewise formations, 25–45 nm sized fractal structures and 250 nm sized diffuse structures from MWCNT – COOH + aerosil + H2Odw. The structures have been studied using confocal microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, atomic force microscopy, IR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The sizes of the observed micro- and nanostructures decrease following the hyperbolic law d = 1/U in the approximation d → 2R, their growth rate increasing as U2. We show that intense ultrasonication of functionalized MWCNT – COOH + aerosil + H2Odw in colloidal solutions causes the formation of the so-called “breathing" modes in axis centered single-walled carbon nanotubes. This is confirmed by short-wave Raman scattering excitation and enables the existence of both combined sp2-hybridization types with π- and σ- carbon bonds and the metallic and semiconductor conductivity types in the material thus showing good promise of these structures for nanoelectronics.