Declined ionic flux through the nano-pores of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes filled with PNIPAm hydrogel

作者：Pan, Yuanyuan; Wu, Qiang; Weng, Yuyan; Zhang, Xiaohua; Yang, Zhaohui^*; Meng, Jianqiang; Tsui, Ophelia K. C.

来源：Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2015, 3(20): 11111-11116.

DOI：10.1039/c5ta01749a

• MEMBRANES
• ENCAPSULATION
• TRANSPORT
• CHAINS
• FILMS
• FLOW

We demonstrate a novel nano-porous membrane of 10 nm diameter multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) filled with thermally sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) hydrogel. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), micro FT-IR spectroscopy and confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy are used to confirm that the MWCNTs are filled with the hydrogel. An improvement in the hydrophilicity of the gel-filled nano-channels is expected to promote the migration of aqueous solutions and the transportation of water. Meanwhile a decrease in ion flux is observed after the nano-pores of MWCNTs are filled with the hydrogel. This new hydrogel filled-CNT material shows potential for nano-chromatography, water purification and use as intelligent ionic channels.

• 出版日期2015
• 单位天津工业大学; 苏州大学