Evaluation of Purity and Thermal Resistance of CNT by Thermogravimetry

Introduction

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are expected to have wide application as a material that supports nanotechnology. A typical thermal analysis technique, Thermogravimetric (TG) measurement, was used to compare and evaluate the purity and thermal resistance of CNT in this Application News. When CNT is heated to combustion in air, a decrease in mass occurs. After burning, the purity can be determined from the weight loss, as the metallic particles, etc. used as a catalyst remain intact. Moreover, the thermal resistance can be evaluated based on the temperature at which the weight loss occurred, and differential quantitation can be conducted with respect to amorphous carbon. The TGA-50 thermogravimetric analyzer is a single- function, vibration-resistant thermogravimetric instrument equipped with a high-sensitivity suspension-type balance to provide highly stable measurement of samples, even in the sub-1 mg range.

August 31, 2007 GMT