Study On The Electrical Properties Of Carbon Nanotube Films In Flowing Electrolyte

Since they were first discovered in 1991, carbon nanotubes have generated an interest amongst scientists that surpasses almost any other material known to man. Carbon nanotubes can be either metallic or semiconducting, depending only on their diameter and chiralities. The unique structure, mechanical and electronic properties of both the single-walled and multi-walled varieties of carbon nanotubes have led to applications in a wide variety of materials and devices, including conductive and high-strength composites, energy storage and energy conversion devices, sensors, field emission displays, hydrogen storage media, nanometer-sized semiconductor devices, and probes and so on. In this study, electrical properties of carbon nanotube films in electrolyte solution have been investigated.First, electrical properties of carbon nanotube films have been studied theoretically. We discussed conducting mechanism, resistivity formula and studied the relationship of the resistance and temperature experimentally.Then, the electrical properties of carbon nanotube films in flow of electrolyte solution have been studied. It is indicated that the voltage was induced in the films when the electrolytes flow on the carbon nanotube films surface. And the magnitude of the voltage depended on the electrolyte kinds, velocity, mass concentration and temperature and so on. The reason for those results is analyzed theoretically.Further more, the electrical properties of carbon nanotube films in gas flow of electrolyte solution have been studied. It is indicated that the voltage was produced in the films when the gas electrolytes flow on the carbon nanotube films surface. We suppose that the pressure difference along the streamline in the gas flow will induce a temperature difference in the carbon nanotube films along the flow direction. The temperature difference, in turn, will result in a voltage difference, namely thermoelectric force. And the magnitude of the voltage depended on the electrolyte kinds, velocity, mass concentration and temperature and so on.The electrical properties of single-walled carbon nanotube films in rotational flow of electrolyte solution have been studied. It is indicated that the voltage was induced in the films when the rotational electrolytes flow on the carbon nanotube films surface due to electronic friction and electron drag effect. And the magnitude of the voltage depended on the electrolyte kinds, rotational velocity, mass concentration and temperature and so on.