Chemical Method for Improving Both the Electrical Conductivity and Mechanical Properties of Carbon Nanotube Yarn via Intramolecular Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling

Abstract

Chemical post-treatment of the carbon nanotube fiber (CNTF) was carried out via intramolecular cross-dehydrogenative coupling (ICDC) with FeCl3 at room temperature. The Raman intensity ratio of the G band to the D band (I-G/I-D ratio) of CNT fiber increased from 2.3 to 4.6 after ICDC reaction. From the)(PS measurements, the A(C=C)/A(C-C) ratio of the CNT fiber increased from 3.6 to 4.8. It is of keen interest that both the electrical conductivity and tensile strength of CNT yarn improved to 3.5 x 10(3) S/cm and 420 MPa, which is 180 and 200% higher than that of neat CNT yarn.