Wet-spinning of carbon nanotube fibers: dispersion, processing and properties

Abstract

Owing to the intrinsic excellent mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbon nanotube fibers (CNTFs) have been expected to be promising candidates for the next-generation high-performance fibers. It has received considerable interest for cutting-edge applications, such as ultra-light electric wire, aerospace craft, military equipment, and space elevators. Wet-spinning is a broadly utilized commercial technique for high-performance fiber manufacturing. Thus, compared with array spinning from drawable CNTs vertical array and direct dry spinning from floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD), wet-spinning technique is considered as a promising strategy to realize the massive production of CNTFs. In this tutorial review, we initiate with a summative description of CNTFs wet-spinning process. Then, we discuss the high-concentration CNTs wet-spinning dope preparation strategies and corresponding non-covalent adsorption/charge transfer mechanisms. The filament solidification during the coagulation process is another critical procedure for determining the configuration and properties for derived CNTFs. Afterwards, the post-treatment, including continuous drafting and thermal annealing, to further optimize the CNTs orientation and compact configuration. At last, we also summarize the physical property-structure relationship to give the insights for further performance promotion to satisfy the prerequisite for detail application scenario. Insights into propelling high-performance CNTFs production from lab-scale to industry-scale are proposed, in anticipation of this novel fiber having its killer application and impacting our life in near future.