The Optimum Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes for Epoxy Nanocomposites: Evolution of the Particle Size Distribution by Ultrasonic Treatment

<table>Mass of CNTs in the suspension, <svg height="14.3875" id="M33" style="vertical-align:-3.25792pt" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 36.9375 14.3875" width="36.9375" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
<g transform="matrix(1.25,0,0,-1.25,0,14.3875)">
<g transform="translate(72,-60.49)">
<text transform="matrix(1,0,0,-1,-71.95,63.79)">
<tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="0" y="0">𝑊</tspan>
</text>
<text transform="matrix(1,0,0,-1,-60.5,60.66)">
<tspan style="font-size: 8.75px; " x="0" y="0">C</tspan>
<tspan style="font-size: 8.75px; " x="5.837584" y="0">N</tspan>
<tspan style="font-size: 8.75px; " x="12.156528" y="0">T</tspan>
</text>
</g>
</g>
</svg>, (upper graph) and the total detected mass between 20 nm and 2 <i>μ</i>m, <svg height="14.3875" id="M34" style="vertical-align:-3.25792pt" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 36.337502 14.3875" width="36.337502" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
<g transform="matrix(1.25,0,0,-1.25,0,14.3875)">
<g transform="translate(72,-60.49)">
<text transform="matrix(1,0,0,-1,-71.95,63.79)">
<tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="0" y="0">𝑊</tspan>
</text>
<text transform="matrix(1,0,0,-1,-60.5,60.66)">
<tspan style="font-size: 8.75px; " x="0" y="0">O</tspan>
<tspan style="font-size: 8.75px; " x="6.318944" y="0">B</tspan>
<tspan style="font-size: 8.75px; " x="12.156528" y="0">S</tspan>
</text>
</g>
</g>
</svg>, (lower graph) at increasing energy input, <svg height="14.3875" id="M35" style="vertical-align:-3.25792pt" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 25.887501 14.3875" width="25.887501" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
<g transform="matrix(1.25,0,0,-1.25,0,14.3875)">
<g transform="translate(72,-60.49)">
<text transform="matrix(1,0,0,-1,-71.95,63.79)">
<tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="0" y="0">𝐸</tspan>
</text>
<text transform="matrix(1,0,0,-1,-63.02,60.66)">
<tspan style="font-size: 8.75px; " x="0" y="0">U</tspan>
<tspan style="font-size: 8.75px; " x="6.318944" y="0">S</tspan>
</text>
</g>
</g>
</svg> at different horn amplitudes: 10% (■), 20% (♦), 40% (●), and bath sonicator (<svg height="7.4875002" id="M36" style="vertical-align:-0.0pt" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 8.3000002 7.4875002" width="8.3000002" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
<g transform="matrix(1.25,0,0,-1.25,0,7.4875)">
<g transform="translate(72,-66.01)">
<text transform="matrix(1,0,0,-1,-71.95,66.06)">
<tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="0" y="0">∗</tspan>
</text>
</g>
</g>
</svg>).</table>

Journal of Nanotechnology

fig13

Figure 13

Figure 13: The Optimum Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes for Epoxy Nanocomposites: Evolution of the Particle Size Distribution by Ultrasonic Treatment 