preparation of surface adsorbed and impregnated multi-walled carbon nanotubenylon-6 nanofiber composites and investigation of their gas sensing ability表面吸附和浸渍制备多壁碳nanotubenylon-6纳米纤维复合材料和调查的气体传感能力.pdf

Sensors 2009, 9, 86-101; doi:10.3390/ OPEN ACCESS sensors ISSN 1424-8220 /journal/sensors Article Preparation of Surface Adsorbed and Impregnated Multi- walled Carbon Nanotube/Nylon-6 Nanofiber Composites and Investigation of their Gas Sensing Ability Neeta L. Lala 1, Velmurugan Thavasi 2 and Seeram Ramakrishna 1,2,3,* 1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 2 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117576; E-Mail: mpenll@.sg 2 Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative, National University of Singapore, 2 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576; E-Mail: nnitv@.sg 3 Division of Bioengineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117576 * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-Mail: seeram@.sg Received: 19 November 2008; in revised form: 12 December 2008 / Accepted: 22 December 2008 / Published: 6 January 2009 Abstract: We have prepared electrospun Nylon-6 nanofibers via electrospinning, and adsorbed multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) onto the surface of Nylon-6 fibers using Triton® X-100 to form a MWCNTs/Nylon-6 nanofiber composite. The dispersed MWCNTs have been found to be stable in hexafluoroisopropanol for several months without precipitation. A MWCNTs/Nylon-6 nanofiber composite based chemical sensor has demonstrated its responsiveness towards a wide range of solvent vapours at room temperature and only mg quantities of MW