Ultrathin Organically Modified Silica Layer Coated Carbon Nanotubes: Fabrication, Characterization and Electrical Insulating Properties
Abstract
This paper describes the use of organically modified silica (ormosil) for the ultrathin nanoprecise coating of individual multiwall carbon nanotubes. Hybrid organic/inorganic ormosil nanocoated carbon nanotubes were successfully prepared by in-situ deposition of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane or N-methylaminopropyltrimethoxysilane in an aqueous suspension by means of their electrostatic interactions with carboxylic group functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes.
The products were characterized by high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), TEM/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, TEM/electron energy loss spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and current-voltage measurements.