High-throughput and consistent production of aqueous suspensions of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes

Understanding how to produce concentrated Carbon Nanotube (CNT) suspensions at high-throughput is key for the production of CNT-based products, as these allow for a straightforward integration of CNT powders in a variety of applications. In this work, we present three important developments for the production of aqueous suspensions using Single-Wall CNT and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a dispersing surfactant: a reliable protocol to improve the reproducibility of CNT-SDS suspensions; a model describing how the CNT concentration evolves during sonication; a continuous-flow system allowing to upscale the production of suspensions. Combined, these findings pave the way for a deterministic production of CNT suspensions at high-volume, which is important for the manufacturing of advanced CNT devices. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.