Structural rearrangement and dispersion of functionalized graphene sheets in aqueous solutions

Yun Jung Lee; Liwei Huang; Howard Wang; Maria L. Sushko; Birgit Schwenzer; Ilhan A. Aksay; Jun Liu

doi:10.1016/j.colcom.2015.12.002

Structural rearrangement and dispersion of functionalized graphene sheets in aqueous solutions

Yun Jung Lee, Liwei Huang, Howard Wang, Maria L. Sushko, Birgit Schwenzer, Ilhan A. Aksay, Jun Liu

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Surfactants are widely used for dispersing graphene and functionalized graphene sheets (FGS) in colloidal suspensions, but there have been few studies of the structure of the dispersed graphene-surfactant complexes in suspension and of their time evolution. Here, we combine experimental study of efficiencies of ionic surfactants/polymers in suspending FGS in water with characterization using atomic force microscopy, small angle neutron scattering, and molecular simulations to probe the detailed structures of FGSs. The small angle scattering technique provides quantitative measurement of structure of graphene sheets in the solution. This study suggests that in both ionic and nonionic surfactants, the dispersion tends to degrade over time through detachment of the surfactant molecules and structural rearrangements. Ionic surfactants with strong interfacial binding and large molecular weight increase the dispersing power by over an order of magnitude.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1-5
Number of pages	5
Journal	Colloids and Interface Science Communications
Volume	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colcom.2015.12.002
State	Published - Sep 1 2015

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Biotechnology
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Colloid and Surface Chemistry
Materials Chemistry

Keywords

Colloidal stability
Dispersion
Graphene
Surfactant

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10.1016/j.colcom.2015.12.002

Cite this

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title = "Structural rearrangement and dispersion of functionalized graphene sheets in aqueous solutions",

abstract = "Surfactants are widely used for dispersing graphene and functionalized graphene sheets (FGS) in colloidal suspensions, but there have been few studies of the structure of the dispersed graphene-surfactant complexes in suspension and of their time evolution. Here, we combine experimental study of efficiencies of ionic surfactants/polymers in suspending FGS in water with characterization using atomic force microscopy, small angle neutron scattering, and molecular simulations to probe the detailed structures of FGSs. The small angle scattering technique provides quantitative measurement of structure of graphene sheets in the solution. This study suggests that in both ionic and nonionic surfactants, the dispersion tends to degrade over time through detachment of the surfactant molecules and structural rearrangements. Ionic surfactants with strong interfacial binding and large molecular weight increase the dispersing power by over an order of magnitude.",

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author = "Lee, {Yun Jung} and Liwei Huang and Howard Wang and Sushko, {Maria L.} and Birgit Schwenzer and Aksay, {Ilhan A.} and Jun Liu",

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T1 - Structural rearrangement and dispersion of functionalized graphene sheets in aqueous solutions

AU - Lee, Yun Jung

AU - Huang, Liwei

AU - Wang, Howard

AU - Sushko, Maria L.

AU - Schwenzer, Birgit

AU - Aksay, Ilhan A.

AU - Liu, Jun

PY - 2015/9/1

Y1 - 2015/9/1

N2 - Surfactants are widely used for dispersing graphene and functionalized graphene sheets (FGS) in colloidal suspensions, but there have been few studies of the structure of the dispersed graphene-surfactant complexes in suspension and of their time evolution. Here, we combine experimental study of efficiencies of ionic surfactants/polymers in suspending FGS in water with characterization using atomic force microscopy, small angle neutron scattering, and molecular simulations to probe the detailed structures of FGSs. The small angle scattering technique provides quantitative measurement of structure of graphene sheets in the solution. This study suggests that in both ionic and nonionic surfactants, the dispersion tends to degrade over time through detachment of the surfactant molecules and structural rearrangements. Ionic surfactants with strong interfacial binding and large molecular weight increase the dispersing power by over an order of magnitude.

AB - Surfactants are widely used for dispersing graphene and functionalized graphene sheets (FGS) in colloidal suspensions, but there have been few studies of the structure of the dispersed graphene-surfactant complexes in suspension and of their time evolution. Here, we combine experimental study of efficiencies of ionic surfactants/polymers in suspending FGS in water with characterization using atomic force microscopy, small angle neutron scattering, and molecular simulations to probe the detailed structures of FGSs. The small angle scattering technique provides quantitative measurement of structure of graphene sheets in the solution. This study suggests that in both ionic and nonionic surfactants, the dispersion tends to degrade over time through detachment of the surfactant molecules and structural rearrangements. Ionic surfactants with strong interfacial binding and large molecular weight increase the dispersing power by over an order of magnitude.

KW - Colloidal stability

KW - Dispersion

KW - Graphene

KW - Surfactant

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JO - Colloids and Interface Science Communications

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ER -

Structural rearrangement and dispersion of functionalized graphene sheets in aqueous solutions

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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