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SCIENCE ASIA


Volume 46, No. 02, Month FEBRUARY, Year 2020, Pages 169 - 177


Fabrication of pvcmwnts g c16 composites with high solar thermal conversion performance for anti icing and deicing

Xiaoning Shena, Lihuan Yuana, Zhen Weia, Yujun Qinb,*, Yapei Wangb, Zhi-Xin Guob,*, Lili Genga


Abstract Download PDF

In this study, an easy method is presented to prepare a polymer based multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) composite. First, MWNTs grafted to n-hexadecyl bromide (MWNTs-g-C16) were prepared using an esterification reaction of carboxylate salt on the MWNTs’ surface and a bromine group consisting of n-hexadecyl bromide in the presence of a phase-transfer reagent in water. Subsequently, a composite material of PVC/MWNTs-g-C16 was prepared by melt blending with a series of dissolvable MWNTs-g-C16 aided by heat stabilizers and lubricants. Thermogravimetric analysis of the MWNTs-g-C16 showed a weight percentage of attached alkyl chains as high as 35.77 wt%, and a TEM image proved that the soluble MWNTs-g-C16 were well dispersed randomly in a matrix of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Solar-thermal conversion performances of the PVC/MWNTs-g-C16 composites were studied, and the composites exhibited excellent light absorption properties. This property is attributed to the optical absorption characteristics of MWNTs. The PVC/MWNTs-g-C16 composite material exhibits excellent mechanical properties, and could be used as solar collectors or as solar anti-icing and deicing materials.


Keywords

polymer based carbon nanotubes composite, polyvinyl chloride, solar-thermal conversion



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