Amplifying Nanoparticle Reinforcement through Low Volume Topologically Controlled Chemical Coupling

N Kanbargi and JT Damron and YW Gao and LT Kearney and JM Carrillo and JK Keum and BG Sumpter and AK Naskar, ACS MACRO LETTERS, 13, 280-287 (2024).

DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.3c00739

We present a streamlined method to covalently bond hydroxylated carbon nanotubes (CNOH) within a polyphenol matrix, all achieved through a direct, solvent-free process. Employing an extremely small concentration of CNOH (0.01% w/w) along with topologically contrasting linkers led to a maximum of 5-fold increase in modulus and a 25% enhancement in tensile strength compared to the unaltered matrix, an order of magnitude greater reinforcement (w/w) compared to state-of-the-art melt-processed nanocomposites. Through dynamic mechanical analysis, low field solid- state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations, we uncovered the profound influence of linker's conformational degrees of freedom on the segmental dynamics and therefore the material's properties.

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