Abstract
The treatment of free-standing sheets of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) with a NH 3/He plasma results in self-supporting sheets of aligned N-doped MWNTs (CN x). These CN x sheets can be easily twist spun in the solid state to provide strong CN x yarns that are knottable, weavable, and sewable. The CN x yarns exhibit tunable catalytic activity for electrochemically driven oxygen reduction reactions (ORR), as well as specific capacitances (up to 39 F·g -1) that are 2.6 times higher than for the parent MWNTs. Due to a high degree of nanotube alignment, the CN x yarns exhibit specific strengths (451 ± 61 MPa·cm 3·g -1) that are three times larger than observed for hybrid CN x/MWNT biscrolled yarns containing 70 wt.% CN x in the form of a powder. This difference in mechanical strength arises from substantial differences in yarn morphology, revealed by electron microscopy imaging of yarn cross- sections, as well as the absence of a significant strength contribution from CN x nanotubes in the biscrolled yarns. Finally, the chemical nature and abundance of the incorporated nitrogen within the CN x nanotubes is studied as function of plasma exposure and annealing processes using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and correlated with catalytic activity.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1069-1075 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Advanced Functional Materials |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 7 2012 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- General Chemistry
- Biomaterials
- General Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Electrochemistry