Low-phosporous nickel-coated carbon microcoils: Controlling microstructure through an electroless plating process
✍ Scribed by H. Bi; K.C. Kou; A.E. Rider; K. Ostrikov; H.W. Wu; Z.C. Wang
- Book ID
- 104001336
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 2009
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 340 KB
- Volume
- 255
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0169-4332
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✦ Synopsis
Introduction
Fullerenes , tubes , fibers , rods , cones , tips , and coils are but a few examples of the stable and exotic forms of micro-and nanocarbon materials which have attracted a great deal of attention recently due to their unique mechanical, electrical and chemical properties . The intricate three-dimensional (3D) helical structures of carbon micro-and nanocoils exhibit high surface areas, remarkable superelastic and electrical properties, enhanced hydrogen absorption and storage as well as other favorable properties . Practical applications of carbon coils are widespread in a range of fields, a few notable examples include: novel electromagnetic wave absorbers and filters, and superelastic electric conducting wires. The microcoils are also regarded as viable alternatives to conventional highly-sensitive gas detectors based on micro/nanostructures made of different materials systems .
Carbon microcoils (CMCs) have recently been the focus of a large amount of research, centered particularly on their synthesis, morphology, microstructure and growth mechanisms . Controlled functionalization of a surface is a critical component in efforts to develop further CMC applications in the field of composite materials. However, functionalizing CMC surfaces remains quite challenging. The main reason is that the covalent bonds between carbon atoms in the coils are predominantly sp 2 hybridized. Therefore, the surface properties of the CMCs are similar to graphite, which exhibits a very high chemical stability; hence the surface of the carbon coils is not easily wetted. It follows that it is quite difficult to achieve a strong interfacial adhesion between the CMCs and a metal or alloy coating.
Electroless plating (EP) with a catalytic metal or alloy film is a very effective method for surface treatments . The alloy film not only improves surface properties, and leads to novel CMC functionality, but also extends the range of potential CMC applications.
Previously, it was found that by coating CMC surfaces with Ni nanoparticles, the microwave absorption ability could be improved and the CMC permeability significantly increased . However, the Ni nanoparticles with a high phosphorous content