Fabrication of large-area uniform carbon nanotube foams as near-critical-density targets for laser–plasma experiments

Carbon nanotube foams(CNFs)have been successfully used as near-critical-density targets in the laser-driven acceleration of high-energy ions and electrons.Here we report the recent advances in the fabrication technique of such targets.With the further developed floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition(FCCVD)method,large-area(>25 cm^(2))and highly uniform CNFs are successfully deposited on nanometer-thin metal or plastic foils as double-layer targets.The density and thickness of the CNF can be controlled in the range of 1−13 mg/cm^(3)and 10−200µm,respectively,by varying the synthesis parameters.The dependence of the target properties on the synthesis parameters and the details of the target characterization methods are presented for the first time.

High-loading Co-doped NiO nanosheets on carbon-welded carbon nanotube framework enabling rapid charge kinetic for enhanced supercapacitor performance

Developing high power and energy supercapacitors(SCs)is a long-pursued goal for the application in transportation and energy storage station.Herein,a rationally-designed Co-doped nickel oxide nanosheets@carbon-welded carbon nanotube foam(Co-doped NiO@WCNTF)as freestanding electrode is successfully prepared for high power and energy SCs.The WCNTF framework with high specific surface area provides three dimensional highly conductive network for fast charge transport and ensures high loading of active materials(9.2 mg/cm2).Moreover,porous Co-doped NiO nanosheets uniformly anchored on the WCNTF framework enable rapid charge kinetics due to the high intrinsic conductivity of Co-doped Ni O nanosheets and their good contact with conductive WCNTF substrate.As a result,the unique integrated electrode with 3D architecture exhibits an ultrahigh specific capacitance of 11.45 F/cm2 at 5 mA/cm2,outstanding rate capability(11.45 F/cm2 at 5 mA/cm2 and a capacitance retention of 86.2%at 30 mA/cm2)and good cycling stability,suggesting great potential for high performance supercapacitor.

Effect of Ultrasonication on the Properties of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes/Hollow Glass Microspheres/Epoxy Syntactic Foam

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes（MWCNTs） reinforced hollow glass microspheres（HGMs）/epoxy syntactic foam was fabricated. The effects of ultrasonication on the density, compression strength, and water absorption properties were studied. Better dispersed MWCNTs can be obtained after ultrasonication treatment, but an increasing viscosity will lead to a larger amount of voids during syntactic foam preparation especially when the content of HGMs is more than 70 vol%. The existing voids will decrease the density of epoxy syntactic foam. However, the ultrasonication does not change the compression strength much. Ultrasonication treatment will decrease the water absorption content due to the better dispersion and hydrophobic properties of MWCNTs. But a significant increase of water absorption content occurs when HGMs is more than 70 vol%, which is attributed to the higher viscosity and larger amount of voids.