Abstract
Conventional batch processing in terms of unzipping multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) suffers from discontinuity, safety and environmental issues, reproducibility, and limited scalability. We have established a continuous-flow, scalable, and safe process for unzipping MWCNTs, achieving a yield of 75% under flow conditions, without the need for any auxiliary reagents. This involves using a mild oxidant, aqueous hydrogen peroxide, and harnessing the mechanical energy in a vortex fluidic device (VFD) while operating at ambient temperature. The physical properties of the fabricated unzipping MWCNTs were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. This scalable, continuous-flow VFD-enabled fabrication method for unzipping MWCNTs unveils the power of a fluidic vortex confined in a thin film of liquid for nanocarbon structural re-formation and functionalization.