The role of polymer–solvent interactions in polyvinyl-alcohol dispersions of multi-wall carbon nanotubes: from coagulant to dispersant

Dispersion of carbon nanotubes in solutions of polyvinyl-alcohol is required for solution casting of composite materials with improved interfacial adhesion where chains adsorbed on the nanotubes serve in the dual role of dispersant and compatible “connector” to the polyvinyl-alcohol matrix. Yet polyvinyl-alcohol is known to induce coagulation of nanotubes in aqueous solutions and thus far, it has not been used for dispersing pristine nanotubes. Here, we report that non-fully hydrolyzed (80–90%) polyvinyl-alcohol can be used for the preparation of stable, surfactant-free, dispersions of multi-wall carbon nanotubes in ethanol–water mixtures (of at least 50 vol% ethanol). Cryo-TEM imaging and rheological measurements of stable, long-lived dispersions reveal the formation of random networks of suspended tubes, with an averaged mesh size of ∼500 nm, indicating that the individual tubes do not aggregate or coagulate. We hypothesize that the polyvinyl-acetate sequences found in non-fully hydrolyzed polymers swell in the presence of ethanol, leading to the formation of a long-ranged steric (entropic) repulsion among polymer-decorated nanotubes. The unexpected role of the polyvinyl-acetate sequences along with a detailed dispersion mechanism are described.