On November 22, according to a report from the American Daily Science website, Rice University and Swansea University ’s Energy Security Research Institute conducted a joint study and found that the old newspaper can be used as a low-cost mass production of single-walled carbon nanotubes Environmentally friendly materials.
Carbon nanotubes are tiny molecules with incredible physical properties and have a wide range of applications, such as conductive films for touch screens, flexible electronic products, and antennas for 5G networks.
The research results detail the development of research experiments in the production process of carbon nanotubes. The experimental results are expected to solve some problems that hinder large-scale production. For example: the cost of preparing surfaces suitable for chemical growth is relatively high; Surface growth, so it is difficult to expand the scale of production.
The research team found that the larger surface area of the newspaper provided a seemingly incredible but ideal method for the chemical growth of carbon nanotubes.
Research leader Bruce Brinson said: "The benefit of the newspaper is that it is suitable for the winding process, so it is an ideal option to serve as a low-cost, easy-to-stack 2D surface for the production of carbon nanotubes."
However, not all newspapers are equally good-only newspapers sized with kaolin can grow carbon nanotubes.
One of the authors of the research report, Valen Chenoy Gangoly, said: "Many substances, including talc, calcium carbonate and titanium dioxide, can be used to sizing paper and act as a filler to help optimize the absorption and Durability level. "
Andrew Barron, director of the Energy Security Institute at Swansea University, said: "Previous studies have shown that graphene, carbon nanotubes and carbon dots can be synthesized on a variety of materials. Through new research, we have discovered a continuous flow The system can greatly reduce the cost of the matrix and post-synthesis processes, and may have an impact on the future mass production of single-walled carbon nanotubes. "