Influence of geometries of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the pore structures of Buckypaper

Influence of geometries, i.e. lengths and diameters, of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on pore sizes and distributions as well as resin impregnation quality of Buckypaper was studied. Three kinds of MWCNTs with different lengths and diameters were used to fabricate Buckypapers by the process of vacuum assisted filtration. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and N-2 adsorption results show that the Buckypaper made of MWCNTs with longer lengths and thinner diameters has the smallest mean pore diameters and best pore size distribution. The results also show that MWCNTs with larger diameters are more inclined to form pore structures with larger pore sizes, and MWCNTs with shorter lengths are more inclined to form pore structures with much wider pore size distribution. Microstructure characterization of the Buckypaper/epoxy composites also exhibited phenomenon of the same rules. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.