Highly aligned arrays of super resilient carbon nanotubes by steam purification

Steam treatment has been applied to our prefabricated highly aligned areas of electrospun carbon nanotube composite nano-fibres, leading to controlled and targeted removal of polymeric and amorphous carbon materials, resulting in areas of highly aligned, highly crystalline, pure nanotubes. Raman analysis shows how the I-D to I-G intensity ratio was reduced to 0.03, and the radial breathing mode peak intensity, used for nanotube diameter calculation, changes. Therefore, suggesting that some carbon nanotubes are more resistant to steam assisted oxidation, meaning that specific carbon nanotube diameters are preferentially oxidised. The remaining carbon nanotubes have displayed a significant improvement in both quality, with respect to defect density, and in crystallinity, resulting in an increased resistance to oxidation. These steam treated super resilient carbon nanotubes are shown to withstand temperatures of above 900 degrees C under ambient conditions. Applying this purification method to electrospun nano-fibres leads the way for the next generation of composite materials which can be used in high temperature extreme environments. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.