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Elution behavior of shortened multiwalled carbon nanotubes in size exclusion chromatography
Author(s) -
Lee Wonmok,
Cho Young Jin,
Choi Heung Ryul,
Park Hye Jin,
Chang Taihyun,
Park Min,
Lee Hyunjung
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of separation science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.72
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1615-9314
pISSN - 1615-9306
DOI - 10.1002/jssc.201200489
Subject(s) - size exclusion chromatography , elution , carbon nanotube , chromatography , chemistry , gel permeation chromatography , materials science , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , polymer , enzyme
We present a rigorous investigation on elution behaviors of ultrasonically shortened multiwalled carbon nanotubes in size‐exclusion chromatography. The size separation of five carbon nanotube samples that underwent ultrasonic shortening for varying lengths of time revealed the existence of three kinds of carbon species: large nanotubes, small nanotubes, and amorphous carbon species. Separation of the three different carbon species was confirmed by SEM analyses on the fractionated eluates and also by light scattering/UV absorbance double detection. The chromatographic peak intensity ratio between the large and small nanotubes suggested an increased amount of small carbon nanotubes upon longer mechanical treatment time. The effect of the concentration of carbon nanotube dispersion on elution behavior was examined, and the elution volume of the shortened nanotubes was found to decrease upon dilution while that of the large nanotubes showed the opposite tendency. Unusual elution behaviors of the multiwalled carbon nanotubes were also observed by altering the flow rate, and these behaviors could be explained by the longer equilibration time taken for large nanotubes to access the pores of the packing materials and a possible morphology change of small carbon nanotubes.