New insights into the unzippering mechanism of carbon nanotube dispersion via the trigger effect of small charged molecules

In binary systems, the influence of different surfactants in carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersion and the dispersion efficiency remain unclear. This study compared CNT dispersion by sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS, small molecule), Triton X-100 (TX 100, large molecule), and their mixtures in single and mixed surfactant systems. A synergistic effect between SDBS and TX 100 was observed for CNT dispersion. The enhancement adsorption of TX 100 by SDBS indicated that SDBS likely acted as a trigger in the unzippering mechanism due to its small molecular size. The actual dispersion efficiency of CNT being higher than the theoretical value also proved the trigger effect of SDBS. However, when TX 100 concentration exceeded its critical micelle concentration, the synergistic effect disappeared. This result indicated that the trigger effect of SDBS probably did not occur because TX 100 directly encapsulated CNT in the form of large micelles.

Automated summary

The study compared the dispersion of carbon nanotubes using different surfactants in binary systems. It found a synergistic effect between SDBS and TX-100 in enhancing the dispersion of CNTs, with SDBS likely acting as a trigger due to its small molecular size. However, the synergistic effect disappeared when the concentration of TX-100 exceeded its critical micelle concentration.