Influence of PMSA-based polymer on the settling velocity of CNT in Aqueous Media

The preparation of a stable suspension dispersing carbon nanotube (CNT) in aqueous media using polystyrene maleic acid (PSMA)-based polymer as surfactant was attempted to be subsequently used in the fabrication of high-performance ceramic matrix composites. Settling velocity under centrifugation analysis was experimentally evaluated as one of the stability criteria of the dispersion and pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance was used to evaluate the amount of adsorbed molecules. The settling velocity decreased considerably with the PSMA concentration up to the saturation at around 7 mass%, then further decreased gradually with PSMA. The former was thought to be based on the dissociation of CNT agglomerate and the latter would be attributed to the surfactant-induced network structure formed in the aqueous media.