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Carbon Nanotube‐ P olypyrrole Composite Electrode Materials Produced In Situ by Electron Bombardment in Radio‐ F requency Plasma Afterglows
Author(s) -
Vandsburger Leron,
Coulombe Sylvain,
Meunier JeanLuc
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
plasma processes and polymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1612-8869
pISSN - 1612-8850
DOI - 10.1002/ppap.201300114
Subject(s) - polypyrrole , materials science , carbon nanotube , polymer , plasma , plasma cleaning , conductive polymer , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , composite material , chemistry , polymerization , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
Free electrons, produced in radio‐frequency (13.56 MHz) glow discharges of O 2 , N 2 , and Ar, are recruited to multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) by a positive electric field. Electron bombardment degradation is restricted to the tips of the MWNTs. SEM images show that a surface deposited layer develops during degradation. Gas phase plasma reactions form polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and plasma polymers, which are re‐deposited on the MWNTs as thin films. The plasma polymer is identified as a polypyrrole (PPy)‐like plasma polymer, as shown by molecular optical absorption spectroscopy and GC–MS. FT‐IR spectra confirm that the surface films are composed of the same plasma polymer. Inert gas plasmas produce higher‐molecular weight plasma polymers, while O 2 plasma treatments produce over‐oxidized polypyrrolic‐plasma polymer films.