Combination of two dispersants as a valuable strategy to prepare improved poly(vinyl alcohol)/carbon nanotube composites

We here present an effective strategy to prepare enhanced composites using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). It contains two essential steps. First, the elaboration of homogeneous aqueous MWCNT dispersions and the selection of the most effective dispersing agent. In a sequential dispersion protocol for seven common dispersants, including surfactants and polymers, the dispersion quality and dispersion ability, independent of the intrinsic nature of the dispersing agent were established using zeta-potential and UV–Vis-spectroscopy. Second, the combination of the most effective dispersing agent, namely dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) with a polymer dispersant of high affinity towards the PVA matrix, namely polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). This resulted in homogeneous PVA–MWCNT composites with significantly improved glass transition temperature by up to 12 °C as a function of the sequential order of dispersant addition. The presented dispersion strategy is straightforward and thus may provide a fast, reliable and general guide for fabricating nanotube composites with improved performance.