Hierarchical morphology of carbon single-walled nanotubes during sonication in an aliphatic diamine

Dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) by sonication into diamine curing agents is studied as a means to improve the dispersion of SWNTs in cured epoxy. Cured and uncured specimens are analyzed by light microscopy, electron microscopy, light scattering (LS), ultra small-angle X-ray scattering (USAXS), electrical conductivity and Raman spectroscopy. A flexible diamine (D2000) forms a stable SWNT suspension leading to good homogeneity in both the diamine and the cured epoxy. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows that small ropes of SWNTs (mostly under 15 nm) are present despite the sample's visual homogeneity. Further morphological investigation of cured and uncured D2000 resins using light and small-angle X-ray scattering indicates that the SWNTs are networked into fractal clusters that electrically percolate at low SWNTs loadings (0.05 wt%).