Intercalation of C60-Fullerol into Graphite Oxide

Herein, we report on the intercalation of C60-fullerol into graphite oxide. This was achievable due to the solubility of the guest species in water and the exfoliation/reconstruction properties of the layered host. The resulting nanocomposite materials were characterized using a wide variety of techniques, including infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and electron microscopy

Intercalation of Poly(bis-(methoxyethoxyethoxy)phosphazene) into Lithium Hectorite

Poly(bis-(methoxyethoxyethoxy)phosphazene) (MEEP) intercalated into lithium hectorite was investigated for its potential application as a solid polymer electrolyte in lithium-ion polymer batteries. Varying amounts of MEEP were intercalated into lithium hectorite, and the physical properties of the nanocomposites were monitored using powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy. Alternating current (AC) impedance spectroscopy was used to determine the ionic conductivity of the nanocomposites when complexed with lithium triflate salt

Intercalation of Poly[Oligo(Ethylene Glycol) Oxalate] into Vanadium Pentoxide Xerogel: Preparation, Characterization and Conductivity Properties

We report, for the first time, the intercalation of poly[oligo(ethylene glycol) oxalate] (POEGO) and POEGO lithium salt (LiCF3SO3) complex (POEGO-LiCF3SO3) into vanadium pentoxide xerogel (V2O5nH2O). The effect of changing the polymer concentration on the interlayer expansion of the layered host was studied, and the optimal intercalation ratio was determined to be 1:2. The intercalates were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and AC impedance spectroscopy

Exfoliated Nanocomposites Based on Polyaniline and Tungsten Disulfide

Nanocomposite materials consisting of polyaniline (PANI) and exfoliated WS2 were synthesized. The WS2 was prepared by reacting tungstic acid with thiourea at 500°C under nitrogen flow. Samples were prepared with a WS2 content of 1, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 20, 37, and 64% by mass. An improvement in the electronic conductivity value of the PANI was observed through the incorporation of exfoliated WS2. The electronic conductivity of PANI-15%WS2 was 24.5 S/cm, an eightfold increase when compared to pure PANI. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) provided evidence that the nanocomposites are in an exfoliated state. XRD and TEM showed that the nanocomposites were completely amorphous, suggesting lack of structural order in these materials, while their EPR signals were considerably narrower compared to pure PANI, indicating the formation of genuine exfoliated systems. Furthermore, our research showed that WS2 can be used as a filler to improve activation energy of decomposition of the polymer. By using the Ozawa method, we studied the decomposition kinetics for the nanocomposites, as well as for the pure polymer. The activation energy for the decomposition of pure PANI was found to be 131.2 kJ/mol. Increasing the amount of WS2 to 12.5% in the PANI increases the activation energy of decomposition to 165.4 kJ/mol, an enhancement of 34.2 kJ/mol over the pure polymer

Towards the scalable isolation of cellulose nanocrystals from tunicates

ABSTRACT: In order for sustainable nanomaterials such as cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) to be utilized in industrial applications, a large-scale production capacity for CNCs must exist. Currently the only CNCs available commercially in kilogram scale are obtained from wood pulp (W-CNCs). Scaling the production capacity of W-CNCs isolation has led to their use in broader applications and captured the interest of researchers, industries and governments alike. Another source of CNCs with potential for commercial scale production are tunicates, a species of marine animal. Tunicate derived CNCs (T-CNCs) are a high aspect ratio CNC, which can complement commercially available W-CNCs in the growing global CNC market. Herein we report the isolation and characterization of T-CNCs from the tunicate Styela clava, an invasive species currently causing significant harm to local aquaculture communities. The reported procedure utilizes scalable CNC processing techniques and is based on our experiences from laboratory scale T-CNC isolation and pilot scale W-CNC isolation. To our best knowledge, this study represents the largest scale where T-CNCs have been isolated from any tunicate species, under any reaction conditions. Demonstrating a significant step towards commercial scale isolation of T-CNCs, and offering a potential solution to the numerous challenges which invasive tunicates pose to global aquaculture communities