Recent Advances in Characterization Techniques for the Interface in Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Polymer Nanocomposites

Figure 9

Three possible multihelical wrapping conformations of polyvinyl pyrrolidone around an individual single-walled carbon nanotube. (a) A double helix and (b) a triple helix. (c) Backbone bond rotations can cause a sharp bend, which allows multiple parallel wrapping strands to come from the same chain of the linear polymer. Low-backbone strain with high-surface area coverage is allowed for multihelical wrapping (adapted with permission from reference [175]; copyright 2001, Elsevier Ltd).

(a)

(b)

(c)