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Author
Dapena Sanz, Judit
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Abstract
Today, the different forms of Carbon are one of the most important focus of study for both materials research and industry. This element has completely different characteristics depending on the morphology in which it is presented, and the way in which it is linked to other elements or compounds, obtaining different geometries. From the most amorphous and primary form of carbon black to the most widely used forms in nanotechnology such as carbon nanotubes, science is constantly looking for applications derived from Carbon to improve the world around us. This is where the main motivation for this dissertation comes from, which summarizes a small part of what can be a very broad study to open boundaries beyond the primary features it can offer.
This dissertation will mainly focus on three different ways in which Carbon is presented: carbon black, carbon nanotubes, and microfibers. All three, altough coming from the same origin, have similar characteristics but at the same time have so many different properties, which will be studied first-hand with the aim of being functionalized at a superficial and structural level: this way it will be seen whether from the modifications given, changes are manifested, the way they are manifested, and at best, the ability to relate these transformations, both chemically and physically, to their behavior.
To achieve this, a series of modifications will be made using reactive agents such as nitric acid, potassium permanganate or sulfuric acid, and laboratory equipment specialized in the study of parameters where the changes will be reflected from carrying out these treatments. The experimental field will begin by treating the samples of carbon black and nanotubes with nitric acid, where modifications will be seen at a physical level with a SEM, and IR spectra and BET characterization will be implemented for the chemical study. A treatment will be performed to try to create defects in the structure of the morphologies where, with the help of Raman spectroscopy, differences with the original samples will be observed. Finally, a plasma of nitrogen will be impacted on the microfibers in a Horizontal Plasma Reactor to judge whether if insertion of atoms has any effect upon the structure of this morphology.
All these observations will make possible the creation of different hypothesis that may be applicable by later studies and find possible outcomes from the modification of these structures, to their possible applications upon in the change of behavior known about Carbon nowadays.
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