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Amphiphobic Carbon Nanotubes as Macroemulsion Surfactants

Published

Author(s)

Haonan Wang, Erik K. Hobbie

Abstract

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are insoluble in either water or oil. When mixtures of SWNTs, water, and toluene are sheared rigorously, a macroscopic emulsion ofwater droplets form in toluene with SWNTs residing at interfaces between water and toluene, acting as a natural surfactant or interphase material. The average droplet dimension decreases as SWNT/water mass ratio increases, implying a coarsening-pinning mechanism. The concept of emulsification via amphiphobicity will find applications in processing nanotubes, compatibiliizing immiscible fluids, and creating new macroscopic emulsion materials with unique interfacial and structural properties.
Citation
Langmuir
Volume
19 No. 8

Keywords

amphiphobic, carbon nanotubes, emulsion

Citation

Wang, H. and Hobbie, E. (2003), Amphiphobic Carbon Nanotubes as Macroemulsion Surfactants, Langmuir, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=852160 (Accessed April 26, 2024)
Created March 31, 2003, Updated October 12, 2021