Ultrasonic Dispersion of Nanocarbons in Soil-water Mixture

Nanocarbons (NCs) are a novel reinforcing material used to improve the mechanical properties of composite materials. As an application of this technology, research has been considering how nanocarbons can been used in soil reinforcement. However, to take advantage of the excellent reinforcing capabilities of nanocarbon tubes (CNTs) and nanocarbon fibers (CNFs), it is necessary to achieve a uniform distribution of nanocarbons in the composites. This paper presents a novel method for improving the dispersion of CNTs and CNFs in soil. The approach incorporates soil itself to stabilize the distribution of CNTs and CNFs. To examine the effectiveness of the method, specimens of soil with CNTs and CNFs were prepared with different concentrations of water. The specimens were then sonicated with ultrasonic equipment and imaged by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FSEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that soil containing sufficient proportions of micro-particles (clay) can itself largely prevent the reagglomeration of NCs in the soil, thereby stabilizing their dispersion.