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Three A₄C₆₀ compounds, with A = Li, Na and K, have been studied by impedance spectroscopy between 100 K and 293 K at pressures up to 2 GPa. The results are in very good agreement with earlier DC resistance studies and with data from the literature. For all three materials the measured conductivity can be fitted by a sum of at least two Arrhenius terms. The band gaps derived from the resistance data, 0.3 eV for Na₄C₆₀ and 0.5 eV for K₄C₆₀, are in excellent agreement with data measured by other methods. For Li₄C₆₀, our results disagree with a recent suggestion that the conductivity is dominated by ionic conduction. Although a certain ionic component probably exists we suggest that electronic transport dominates in our samples at and below room temperature because the derived “activation energy” decreases under pressure, the derived “activation volume” is negative, and we observe neither a significant electrode blocking capacitance nor any significant metal transport under DC conditions.

We report the thermal conductivity, kappa, and the specific heat, C-p, of dispersion of 0.95-nm-thick, 25-nm-diameter disks of Laponite in water and in ice, as well as the thermal effects during gelation of several compositions, and the temperature dependence of the gelation time. The kappa values of its 5.0 wt% sol and gel states at T>273 K are similar to 3 % larger than those of pure water. In the frozen state of water, kappa is lower than that of hexagonal ice and the difference increases on cooling. kappa of the sol and gel calculated from Maxwell's mixture model agrees with the measured kappa. During the course of homogenization and formation of the gel state, kappa and C-p do not change significantly. The time for gel formation, t(gel), decreases rapidly when the sol is aged at high temperatures. The change occurs almost according to the relation, log(10)(t(gel)) proportional to 1/T. The accelerated formation of the Laponite gel at high T is distinguished from that of organic, mostly protein gels which form more rapidly at low T. The gels are not thermo-reversible. We consider the consequences of our findings for the current understanding of the phonon propagation and electrostatic interactions between H2O molecules and Laponite disks.

The change of distance between individual graphene oxide sheets due to swelling is the key parameter to explain and predict permeation of multilayered graphene oxide (GO) membranes by various solvents and solutions. In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction study shows that swelling properties of GO membranes are distinctly different compared to precursor graphite oxide powder samples. Intercalation of liquid dioxolane, acetonitrile, acetone, and chloroform into the GO membrane structure occurs with maximum one monolayer insertion (Type I), in contrast with insertion of 2-3 layers of these solvents into the graphite oxide structure. However, the structure of GO membranes expands in liquid DMSO and DMF solvents similarly to precursor graphite oxide (Type II). It can be expected that Type II solvents will permeate GO membranes significantly faster compared to Type I solvents. The membranes are found to be stable in aqueous solutions of acidic and neutral salts, but dissolve slowly in some basic solutions of certain concentrations, e.g. in NaOH, NaHCO3 and LiF. Some larger organic molecules, alkylamines and alkylammonium cations are found to intercalate and expand the lattice of GO membranes significantly, e.g. up to similar to 35 angstrom in octadecylamine/methanol solution. Intercalation of solutes into the GO structure is one of the limiting factors for nano-filtration of certain molecules but it also allows modification of the inter-layer distance of GO membranes and tuning of their permeation properties. For example, GO membranes functionalized with alkylammonium cations are hydrophobized and they swell in non-polar solvents.

Arrays of nano-engineered carbon nanotube networks embedded in nanoscale polymer structures enable highly efficient charge transport as demonstrated by D. R. Barbero and co-workers on page 3111. An increase in charge transport by several orders of magnitude is recorded at low nanotube loading compared to traditional random networks in either insulating (polystyrene) or semiconducting (polythiophene) polymers. These novel networks are expected to enhance the performance of next generation hybrid and carbon based photovoltaic devices.

We demonstrate a simple and controllable method to form periodic arrays of highly conductive nano-engineered single wall carbon nanotube networks from solution. These networks increase the conductivity of a polymer composite by as much as eight orders of magnitude compared to a traditional random network. These nano-engineered networks are demonstrated in both polystyrene and polythiophene polymers.

We demonstrate the formation of arrays of 3D nano- sized networks of interconnected single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) with well defined dimensions in a poly-3- hexylthiophene (P3HT) thin film. These novel nanotube nano-networks produce efficient ohmic charge transport, even at very low nanotube loadings and low voltages. An increase in conductivity between one and two orders of magnitude is observed compared to a random network. The formation of these nano-engineered networks is compatible with large area imprinting and roll to roll processes, which makes it highly desirable for opto-electronic and energy conversion applications using carbon nanotubes.

We report thermal conductivity (kappa) of low-density, high-density and ultra-high density polyethylene (PE) with different crystallinity and microstructures. PE was crystallized under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions which produce extended chain crystals. By applying a two-phase model, we estimate kappa of 100% crystallized PE as a function of pressure and temperature. The increased crystallinity and lamellar thickness (fold length) reduce the thermal resistance, which is reflected not only in the absolute value of kappa but also in more pronounced pressure and temperature dependencies approaching those of polycrystalline low-molecular weight materials. The results suggest that it is crucial to increase the lamellar thickness to significantly improve kappa of PE with randomly oriented lamellae.

A Buckminsterfullerene/polyisoprene (C₆₀/PI) composite was synthesized at high-temperature, high-pressure (HP&HT) conditions. The composite has significantly improved tensile strength and Young’s modulus, by up to 49% and 88% per wt % C₆₀, respectively, which is much higher than for corresponding composites with carbon nanotube (CNT) fillers. The reinforcing action of C₆₀ fillers is different from that of CNTs as C₆₀ becomes covalently bonded to PI chains, and C₆₀ clusters in PI form C₆₀–C₆₀ covalent bonds. The latter are reversible and break by heating at 1 bar, which suggests improved recyclability of the material and indicates that carbon nanostructures can be used as strong reversible cross-linkers (“vulcanizers”) in elastomers.

Graphite oxide is selectively intercalated by methanol when exposed to liquid water/methanol mixtures with methanol fraction in the range 20-100%. Insertion of water into the GO structure occurs only when the content of water in the mixture with methanol is increased up to 90%. This conclusion is confirmed by both ambient temperature XRD data and specific temperature variations of the GO structure due to insertion/deinsertion of an additional methanol monolayer observed upon cooling/heating. The composition of GO-methanol solvate phases was determined for both low temperature and ambient temperature phases. Understanding of graphite oxide structural properties in binary water/methanol mixtures is important for the unusual permeation properties of graphene oxide membranes for water and alcohols. It is suggested that graphite oxide prepared by Brodie's method can be used for purification of water using selective extraction of methanol from water/alcohol mixtures.

Tensile and microstructural properties of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/polyisoprene (PI) composites have been investigated after cross-linking achieved purely by simultaneous high-pressure high-temperature treatment. The method enables gradual increase of the cross-link density without interference of vulcanization chemicals, and the results suggest a link between an interfacial PI layer wrapped/coated on the MWCNTs and reinforcement in carbon nanotube (CNT)/PI composites. The interfacial layer, which is augmented by high-pressure treatment, was detected indirectly in swelling experiments and also reflected in results of atomic force microscopy. The results imply more efficient load transfer and mechanical reinforcement by CNTs with improved interfacial layer and that changes in the layer can be probed by swelling measurements.