Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Composites: Metal and Ceramic ...
Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Composites: Metal and Ceramic ...
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