Comparison of ultrasonication and microfluidization for high throughput and large-scale processing of SWCNT dispersions

Two SWCNT dispersion processing techniques – microfluidization and ultrasonication– were examined using an ultracentrifuge method and simultaneous Raman scattering and photoluminescence spectroscopy. It was demonstrated that the extremely high energy dissipation rate in microfluidization facilitates the high throughput dispersion of SWCNT bundles. However, the efficiency of SWCNT bundles being separated into individual tubes in this process is much lower compared to ultrasonication, in which the energy dissipation rate is very low. This suggests that the types of flow field rather than the energy dissipation rate play a critical role in the separation of bundles into single SWCNTs.