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Facile Supramolecular Processing of Carbon Nanotubes and Polymers for Electromechanical Sensors
Author(s) -
Kim Chae Bin,
Jeong Ki Beom,
Yang Beom Joo,
Song JongWon,
Ku BonCheol,
Lee Seunghyun,
Lee SeoungKi,
Park Chiyoung
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201708111
Subject(s) - materials science , carbon nanotube , polymer , elastomer , composite material , styrene , chemical engineering , thermoplastic elastomer , nanotechnology , copolymer , engineering
We herein report a facile, cost‐competitive, and scalable method for producing viscoelastic conductors via one‐pot melt‐blending using polymers and supramolecular gels composed of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), diphenylamine (DP), and benzophenone (BP). When mixed, a non‐volatile eutectic liquid (EL) produced by simply blending DP with BP (1:1 molar ratio) enabled not only the gelation of CNTs (EL‐CNTs) but also the dissolution of a number of commodity polymers. To make use of these advantages, viscoelastic conductors were produced via one‐pot melt‐blending the EL and CNTs with a model thermoplastic elastomer, poly(styrene‐ b ‐butadiene‐ b ‐styrene) (SBS, styrene 30 wt %). The resulting composites displayed an excellent electromechanical sensory along with re‐mendable properties. This simple method using cost‐competitive EL components is expected to provide an alternative to the use of expensive ionic liquids as well as to facilitate the fabrication of novel composites for various purposes.