Rheological Properties of Nanocomposite Aqueous Dispersions Based on Poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) and Carbon Nanotube

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Applied Chemistry, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, P.O. Box: 17776-13651, Tehran, Iran,

2 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box:11365-9466, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are a new class of nanomaterials that have gained special attention due to their unique properties such as excellent electrical and mechanical properties. Nanocomposite hydrogels, a novel category of hydrogels, have received great attention both in industry and scientific research because of their exceptional structural and mechanical properties. A nanocomposite aqueous dispersion based on poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) and modified carbon nanotube was synthesized through in situ radical polymerization. Water can be a good candidate instead of toxic organic solvents for preparation of poly(AA-co-AM)/CNT nanocomposite aqueous dispersions. The rheological properties of the nanocomposites were significantly improved compared to those of pure copolymer samples. Modification of carbon nanotubes by acid was conducted to introduce hydroxyl and carboxyl groups on their surface in order to achieve a better dispersion behavior and suitable interactions between the nanoparticles and polymer matrix. Once the oxidation step was finished, amide functional groups were inserted into the CNT particles through amidation reaction. The surface modification reactions of CNT were tracked by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy techniques. FTIR and Raman spectra were utilized in order to investigate the dispersion behavior of nanoparticles and to confirm the formation of linkages between the nanoparticles and polymer matrix, respectively. In addition, the rheological features including viscoelastic behavior of samples, the sol-gel transition phenomenon, dynamic oscillatory frequency sweep and steady shear measurements were studied. Finally, the relationship between the improved rheological properties (modulus and viscosity) and the dispersion microstructures caused by dispersion of nanoparticles, formation of networks and interfacial interactions between Poly(AA-co-AM) macromolecular chains and CNT nanoparticles were determined.

Keywords


Dai H., Chen Q., Qin H., Guan Y., Shen D., Hua Y., Tang Y., and Xu J., A Temperature-Responsive Copolymer Hydrogel in Controlled Drug Delivery, Macromolecules, 39, 6584-6589, 2006.
Li A., Benetti E.M., Tranchida D., Clasohm J.N., Schönherr H., and Spencer N.D., Surface-Grafted, Covalently Cross-Linked Hydrogel Brushes with Tunable Interfacial and Bulk Properties, Macromolecules, 44, 5344-5351, 2011.
Li Z., Zheng Z., Su S., Yu L., and Wang X., Preparation of a High-Strength Hydrogel with Slidable and Tunable Potential Functionalization Sites, Macromolecules, 49, 373-386, 2016.
Aburto J. and Le Borgne S., Selective Adsorption of Dibenzothiophene Sulfone by an Imprinted and Stimuli-Responsive Chitosan Hydrogel, Macromolecules, 37, 2938-2943, 2004.
Jain R., Mahto T.K., and Mahto V., Rheological Investigations of Water Based Drilling Fluid System Developed Using Synthesized Nanocomposite, Korea-Australia Rheol. J., 28, 55-65, 2016.
Jaiswal M.K., Xavier J.R., Carrow J.K., Desai P., Alge D., and Gaharwar A.K., Mechanically Stiff Nanocomposite Hydrogels at Ultralow Nanoparticle Content, ACS Nano, 10, 246-256, 2016.
Li C., Mu C., Lin W., and Ngai T., Gelatin Effects on the Physicochemical and Hemocompatible Properties of Gelatin/PAAm/Laponite Nanocomposite Hydrogels, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 7, 18732-18741, 2015.
Liu P., Jiang L., Zhu L., and Wang A., Attapulgite/Poly(acrylic acid) Nanocomposite (ATP/PAA) Hydrogels with Multifunctionalized Attapulgite (org-ATP) Nanorods as Unique Cross-linker: Preparation Optimization and Selective Adsorption of Pb(II) Ion, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 2, 643-651, 2014.
Manafi M., Manafi P., and Kehtari K.S., Prevent Soil Loss by Copolymer Based on Polyacrylamide, J. Adv. Mater. Technol. (Persian), 4, 63-69, 2016.
Taylor K.C. and Nasr-El-Din H.A., Water-soluble Hydrophobically Associating Polymers for Improved Oil Recovery: A Literature Review, J. Petroleum Sci. Eng., 19, 265-280, 1998.
Morgan S.E. and McCormick C.L., Water-soluble Polymers in Enhanced Oil Recovery, Prog. Polym. Sci., 15, 103-145, 1990.
Wever D., Picchioni F., and Broekhuis A., Polymers for Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Paradigm for Structure–Property Relationship in Aqueous Solution, Prog. Polym. Sci., 36, 1558-1628, 2011.
Zhong C., Luo P., Ye Z., and Chen H., Characterization and Solution Properties of a Novel Water-Soluble Terpolymer for Enhanced Oil Recovery, Polym. Bull., 62, 79-89, 2009.
Gao B., Jiang L., and Kong D., Studies on Rheological Behaviour of Hydrophobically Associating Polyacrylamide with Strong Positive Salinity Sensitivity, Colloid Polym. Sci., 285, 839-846, 2007.
Busse K., Kressler J., Van Eck D., and Höring S., Synthesis of Amphiphilic Block Copolymers Based on Tert-Butyl Methacrylate and 2-(N-methylperfluorobutanesulfonamido) Ethyl Methacrylate and Its Behavior in Water, Macromolecules, 35, 178-184, 2002.
Pircheraghi G., Powell T., Solouki Bonab V., and Manas‐Zloczower I., Effect of Carbon Nanotube Dispersion and Network Formation on Thermal Conductivity of Thermoplastic Polyurethane/Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposites, Polym. Eng. Sci., 56, 394-407, 2016.
Yue L., Pircheraghi G., Monemian S.A., and Manas-Zloczower I., Epoxy Composites with Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene Nanoplatelets–Dispersion and Synergy Effects, Carbon, 78, 268-278, 2014.
Pircheraghi G., Foudazi R., and Manas-Zloczower I., Characterization of Carbon Nanotube Dispersion and Filler Network Formation in Melted Polyol for Nanocomposite Materials, Powder Technol., 276, 222-231, 2015.
Arras M.M.L., Jana R., Mühlstädt M., Maenz S., Andrews J., Su Z., Grasl C., and Jandt K. D., In Situ Formation of Nanohybrid Shish-Kebabs during Electrospinning for the Creation of Hierarchical Shish-Kebab Structures, Macromolecules, 49, 3550-3558, 2016.
Tasis D., Papagelis K., Prato M., Kallitsis I., and Galiotis C., Water‐Soluble Carbon Nanotubes by Redox Radical Polymerization, Macromol. Rapid Commun., 28, 1553-1558, 2007.
Pei X., Hu L., Liu W., and Hao J., Synthesis of Water-Soluble Carbon Nanotubes via Surface Initiated Redox Polymerization and Their Tribological Properties as Water-Based Lubricant Additive, Eur. Polym. J., 44, 2458-2464, 2008.
Soares M.C.F., Licinio P., Caliman V., Viana M.M., and Silva G.G., Rheological Studies of Semidilute Polyacrylamide/Carbon Nanotube Nanofluids, J. Polym. Res., 20, 1-7, 2013.
Etika K.C., Cox M.A., and Grunlan J.C., Tailored Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes in Water with pH-responsive Polymers, Polymer, 51, 1761-1770, 2010.
Grunlan J.C., Liu L., and Kim Y.S., Tunable Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Microstructure in the Liquid and Solid States Using Poly(acrylic acid), Nano letters, 6, 911-915, 2006.
Hu G., Zhao C., Zhang S., Yang M., and Wang Z., Low Percolation Thresholds of Electrical Conductivity and Rheology in Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Through the Networks of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, Polymer, 47, 480-488, 2006.
Xu G., Chen G., Ma Y., Ke Y., and Han M., Rheology of a Low‐Filled Polyamide 6/Montmorillonite Nanocomposite, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 108, 1501-1505, 2008.
Okay O. and Oppermann W., Polyacrylamide-clay Nanocomposite Hydrogels: Rheological and Light Scattering Characterization, Macromolecules, 40, 3378-3387, 2007.
Saito Y., Ogura H., and Otsubo Y., Rheological Behavior of Silica Suspensions in Aqueous Solutions of Associating Polymer, Colloid Polym. Sci., 286, 1537-1544, 2008.
Kim S.D., Kim J.W., Im J.S., Kim Y.H., and Lee Y.S., A Comparative Study on Properties of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) Modified with Acids and Oxyfluorination, J. Fluorine Chem., 128, 60-64, 2007.
Schierz A. and Zänker H., Aqueous Suspensions of Carbon Nanotubes: Surface Oxidation, Colloidal Stability and Uranium Sorption, Environ. Pollution, 157, 1088-1094, 2009.
Shen J., Huang W., Wu L., Hu Y., and Ye M., Study on Amino-Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 464, 151-156, 2007.
Gao C., Jin Y.Z., Kong H., Whitby R.L., Acquah S.F., Chen G., Qian H., Hartschuh A., Silva S., and Henley S., Polyurea-functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes: Synthesis, Morphology, and Raman spectroscopy, J. Phys. Chem., B, 109, 11925-11932, 2005.
Kan L., Xu Z., and Gao C., General Avenue to Individually Dispersed Graphene Oxide-Based Two-Dimensional Molecular Brushes by Free Radical Polymerization, Macromolecules, 44, 444-452, 2010.
Zhu J.F., Zhu Y.J., Ma M.G., Yang L.X., and Gao L., Simultaneous and Rapid Microwave Synthesis of Polyacrylamide-Metal Sulfide (Ag2S, Cu2S, HgS) Nanocomposites,  J. Phys. Chem., C, 111, 3920-3926, 2007.
Ross‐Murphy S.B., Structure–Property Relationships in Food Biopolymer Gels and Solutions,  J. Rheol., 39, 1451-1463, 1995.
Lepoittevin B., Devalckenaere M., Pantoustier N., Alexandre M., Kubies D., Calberg C., Jérôme R., and Dubois P., Poly(ε-caprolactone)/Clay Nanocomposites Prepared by Melt Intercalation: Mechanical, Thermal and Rheological Properties, Polymer, 43, 4017-4023, 2002.
Hoffmann B., Dietrich C., Thomann R., Friedrich C., and Mülhaupt R., Morphology and Rheology of Polystyrene Nanocomposites Based upon Organoclay, Macromol. Rapid Commun., 21, 57-61, 2000.
Krishnamoorti R. and Giannelis E. P., Rheology of End-Tethered Polymer Layered Silicate Nanocomposites, Macromolecules, 30, 4097-4102, 1997.
Das S, Irin F, Ma L, Bhattacharia S.K., Hedden R.C., and Green M.J. Rheology and Morphology of Pristine Graphene/Polyacrylamide Gels, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 17, 8633-8640, 2013.