Low-cost carbon nanotube aerogels with varying and controllable density

Carbon nanotube (CNT) aerogels with varying and controllable density were fabricated from low-cost raw materials via simple steps based on sol–gel technique. CNT raw powders were dispersed in water with sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate as surfactant under ultrasonic wave, which then coagulated into gel at room temperature. The gels were thoroughly washed by using hot (90 °C) polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) aqueous solution (mass ratio = 1 %) and then centrifuged. Finally, after solvent exchange, the gels were converted into aerogels by using supercritical CO2 fluid drying process. Free-standing and monolithic CNT aerogels with varying and controllable density (~0.06–0.35 g/cm3), elastic modulus (~0.17–0.87 MPa), electric conductivity (~0.56–4.55 S/m), specific surface area (SSA, ~100 m2/g), and average pore diameter (10–20 nm) were obtained. The density of CNT aerogels was correlated with the relative intensity ratio of the D band to the G band (I D/I G) in Raman spectrum as well, which indicated the degree of order. The residual PVA molecules intertwined CNTs, which pulled the SSA down and increased the degree of disorder of CNT aerogel in some extent. The low-cost CNT aerogels with varying and controllable density are meaningful in providing a competitive candidate for potential target materials in inertial confinement fusion experiments and laser-driven quasi-isentropic compression experiments. Free-standing and monolithic carbon nanotube (CNT) aerogels with varying and controllable density were fabricated from low-cost raw materials via simple steps based on sol–gel technique, which mainly includes dispersion, centrifugation, and drying. CNT aerogels exhibited varying and controllable density (~0.06–0.35 g/cm3), elastic modulus (~0.17–0.87 MPa), electric conductivity (~0.56 to 4.55 S/m), specific surface area (SSA, ~100 m2/g), average pore diameter (10–20 nm), and cross-linked micrograph. In addition, the Raman spectrum of CNT aerogels was given, and the correlations between density and I D/I G were discussed. The low-cost CNT aerogels with varying and controllable density are meaningful in providing a competitive candidate for potential target materials in inertial confinement fusion experiments and laser-driven quasi-isentropic compression experiments.