Synthesis and characterization of potassium metal/graphitic carbon nanofiber intercalates.

Direct reaction of herringbone, platelet, or narrow, tubular herringbone graphitic carbon nanofibers (GCNFs) with molten potassium gives K/GCNF intercalates with stoichiometric control of potassium loading. Intercalate formation is confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction and micro-Raman spectroscopy. K/GCNF intercalates act as radical-anion alkene polymerization catalysts and reduce water with stoichiometric formation of hydrogen gas.

Graphitic carbon nanofiber (GCNF)/polymer materials. I. GCNF/epoxy monoliths using hexanediamine linker molecules.

Processing methods have been optimized for the formation of graphitic carbon nanofiber (GCNF)/epoxy nanocomposites containing GCNFs highly dispersed throughout a thermoset epoxy matrix. GCNFs having a herringbone atomic structure are surface-derivatized with bifunctional hexanediamine linker molecules (GCNF-HDA) capable of covalent binding to an epoxy matrix during thermal curing and are cut to smaller dimension using high-power ultrasonication. GCNF-HDA nanofibers are dispersed in epoxy resin at 0.