Researchers create a "force field" for super-materials

Researchers have developed a revolutionary method to develop and complexly protect some of the world's most interesting nanomaterials, graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs).

Once curved and rolled into cylinders, thin layers of graphene form CNT structures. These laminated carbon sheets can represent one thousandth of the diameter of a human hair and possess extraordinary properties such as extreme electrical conduction, or resistance 100 times greater than that of high strength steel . Although widely regarded as the key to the development of future battery and supercapacitor technologies, NTCs are plagued by environmental "poisoning", which causes materials to lose their catalyst properties.

In an article published by the journal Carbon, researchers at the University of Surrey are detailing their new method of coating the CNT catalyst using a protective layer configured to allow carbon diffusion and thus can be used to protect the catalyst from environmental contamination. The technique allows the catalyst to be transported, stored or calibrated accurately for future use.

Professor Ravi Silva, director of the Advanced Technology Institute, said: "The protective catalyst technology is a breakthrough in the usability and industrial applicability of carbon nanomaterials – for example, poisoning. of the catalyst by environmental contamination such as oxidation and unwanted particle etching, a thin catalyst film during reactive ion etching or wet etching can now be avoided. "

The lead author of the study, Dr. Muhammad Ahmad of the University of Surrey, said: "The age-old problem of poorly fixed nano-carbon materials on the substrate has now been solved using this unique technique. of the protective layer, precise control of the carbon feed of the catalyst is achieved to allow the growth of a selected number of graphene layers or precise CNT films. "

"We hope our research will free up other scientists from the incredible potential of carbon-based nanomaterials and I would not be surprised to see advances in areas such as sensor technologies, batteries and supercapacitors."