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Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Composites: Metal and Ceramic ...

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156j 5 <strong>Carbon</strong> <strong>Nanotube</strong>–<strong>Ceramic</strong> Nanocomposites<br />

Figure 5.25 TEM image showing titania coated MWNT surface.<br />

Reproduced with permission from [62]. Copyright Ó (2003)<br />

Elsevier.<br />

Acid-purified SWNTs were then added to the TiCl4 suspension. PEI addition is<br />

beneficial to assist the deposition of titania on nanotube surfaces.<br />

Jitianu et al. employed both sol-gel <strong>and</strong> hydrothermal techniques to coat titania on<br />

MWNTs [102]. For the sol-gel process, alkoxide precursor, that is, titanium tetraethoxide<br />

Ti(OEt)4 or titanium tetra-isopropoxide Ti(OPr)4) was mixed with ethanol/<br />

isopropanol, water <strong>and</strong> nitric acid to form a titania sol under magnetic stirring.<br />

MWNTs were then mixed with the sol under stirring. The impregnated MWNTs were<br />

separated from the solution by filtration. For hydrothermal treatment, the precursor<br />

consisted of 15 wt% TiOSO4 in diluted sulfuric acid. MWNTs were then added to the<br />

TiOSO4 solution in water. Hydrothermal treatment was performed in an autoclave at<br />

120 C for 5 h. Impregnated nanotubes prepared by the sol-gel <strong>and</strong> hydrothermal<br />

methods were further dried at high temperatures. MWNT surfaces prepared by solgel<br />

using Ti(OEt)4 precursor are coated with a continuous thin film (Figure 5.26(a)),<br />

<strong>and</strong> with TiO2 nanoparticles in the case of Ti(OPr)4 (Figure 5.26(b)). The microstructure<br />

of titania coated nanotubes prepared by hydrothermal method is shown in<br />

Figure 5.26(c).<br />

5.4.4<br />

Zirconia Matrix<br />

Zirconia-based ceramics are well recognized for their excellent mechanical,<br />

electrical, thermal <strong>and</strong> optical properties. They find a broad range of industrial<br />

applications including oxygen sensors, solid oxide fuel cells <strong>and</strong> ceramic membranes<br />

[103, 104]. The physical <strong>and</strong> mechanical properties of ziroconia can be further<br />

enhanced by adding low loading level of CNTs. Zirconia-CNT nanocomposites can<br />

be fabricated by hot-pressing [105], heterocoagulation [106] <strong>and</strong> hydrothermal<br />

crystallization [107, 108].<br />

Shan <strong>and</strong> Gao fabricated ZrO2/MWNT nanocomposites by hydrothermal treatment<br />

of ZrOCl2.8H2O. They reported that full coverage of ZrO2 on nanotubes can be<br />

prepared only through the use of an acid medium [108]. In a weak alkaline solution,<br />

only few zirconia agglomerates adhere to the sidewalls of MWNTs. Hardly any<br />

adsorption of zirconia on nanotubes can be observed in a strong alkaline solution.<br />

They attributed the formation of zirconia coating on sidewalls of MWNTs to the

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