Dispersion of multi-walled carbon nanotube using soluble polysilsesquioxane containing alkylammonium side chains and triiodide counterions

In this study, we found that 1-pentanol dispersion of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) was obtained when ultrasonication of MWCNT was performed in 1-pentanol solution of ammonium group-containing polysilsesquioxane with triiodide anions (PSQ-I3). Dispersibility of MWCNT in 1-pentanol was first investigated by the presence of absorption at 750 nm in UV–Vis measurements. In addition, the number-average particle size estimated by dynamic light scattering measurement of 1-pentanol dispersion of MWCNT/PSQ-I3 was assessed to be 120.3 ± 34.8 nm. The dispersion passed through a membrane filter with ca. 7 μm pores, indicating that large MWCNT aggregates in micrometer scale did not exist in 1-pentanol. Furthermore, the transmission electron microscopy image of the sample obtained by drying 1-pentanol dispersion of MWCNT/PSQ-I3 showed many lines with ca. 10 nm diameter derived from MWCNT, indicating that MWCNTs were individually dispersed in PSQ matrix.