Block copolymers as dispersants for nanomaterial added to fuel

Abstract

Development and optimization of technologies using nanocomposite materials is one of important areas in modern industrial engineering. In transport industry and in fuel power engineering the use of nanoparticles can optimize fuel consumption, reduce pollutants, and increase aggregate productivity. A special role belongs to carbon nanomaterials, primarily to multi- and single-walled carbon nanotubes, since, beside the improvement of fuel characteristics, they can be completely utilized during combustion. Application of nanoparticles requires the preparing of stable suspensions suitable for various technological processes. In this work by the help of NMR spectroscopy the dispersing of nanomaterial by block copolymers was considered: by poloxamers (P184 and P407) in aqueous medium and by poloxamine (Diproxamine-157) and its mixture with liquid poloxamer P184 in oil medium. Good dispersibility of nanomaterial and stability of aqueous dispersions obtained with the help of poloxamers have been shown. Also, it has been established that pure liquid reverse-sequential poloxamines can be used to create oil-soluble dispersions of nanomaterial. Possible mechanisms to prevent reagglomeration by the help of poloxamines have been considered.

Keywords

• nanocomposite fuel
• carbon nanotubes
• dispersibility
• poloxamer
• poloxamine