Superhydrophobic MWCNTs/PDMS-nanocomposite materials: Preparation and characterization
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1
Chuiko Institute of Surface Chemistry of NAS of Ukraine
2
Poznan University of Technology
Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering
3
Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Faculty of Chemistry
Publication date: 2019-09-09
Corresponding author
Iryna Sulym
Chuiko Institute of Surface Chemistry of NAS of Ukraine
Physicochem. Probl. Miner. Process. 2019;55(6):1394-1400
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ABSTRACT
The surface morphology, structure and hydrophobicity of low- and high-molecular weight poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) fluids physically adsorbed onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) at different weight percentages (5, 10, 20 and 40 wt.%), were studied employing X-ray diffraction (XRD), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and measurements of contact angle with water. It was found that MWCNTs agglomerate forming voids between tubes of a broad range, while adsorption of the polymer from a hexane solution results in the expected wrapping of nanotubes with PDMS chains and, further, in filling voids, as represented by SEM data. ATR-FTIR was used to investigate the possible structural changes in the polymer nanocomposites. Based on the contact angle measurements via water drop shape analysis, MWCNTs/PDMS nanocomposites were characterized as a stable, superhydrophobic materials with the maximum contact angle (CA) equal to 152° at CPDMS = 40 wt.%.