Airborne particles released by crushing CNT composites

5th Nanosafe International Conference on Health and Safety issues related to nanomaterials for a socially responsible approach

物理学;医药卫生;材料科学

Ogura, I.^1,2 ; Okayama, C.^3 ; Kotake, M.^2 ; Ata, S.^1,2 ; Matsui, Y.^4 ; Gotoh, K.^3

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 16-1 Onogawa, Ibaraki, Tsukuba

305-8569, Japan^1

Technology Research Association for Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes (TASC), 1-1-1 Higashi, Ibaraki, Tsukuba

305-8565, Japan^2

Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Okayama

700-8530, Japan^3

Kyoto University, Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto

606-8501, Japan^4

关键词: Aerosol measurement;    Airborne particle;    Cnt composites;    Detection limits;    Free polymers;    Micrometer sized particles;    Microscopic analysis;    Polystyrene composites;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/838/1/012015/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/838/1/012015

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

We investigated airborne particles released as a result of crushing carbon nanotube (CNT) composites using a laboratory scale crusher with rotor blades. For each crushing test, five pellets (approximately 0.1 g) of a polymer (polystyrene, polyamide, or polycarbonate) containing multiwall CNTs (Nanocyl NC7000 or CNano Flotube9000) or no CNTs were placed in the container of the crusher. The airborne particles released by the crushing of the samples were measured. The real-time aerosol measurements showed increases in the concentration of nanometer- and micrometer-sized particles, regardless of the sample type, even when CNT-free polymers were crushed. The masses of the airborne particles collected on filters were below the detection limit, which indicated that the mass ratios of the airborne particles to the crushed pellets were lower than 0.02%. In the electron microscopic analysis, particles with protruding CNTs were observed. However, free-standing CNTs were not found, except for a poorly dispersed CNT-polystyrene composite. This study demonstrated that the crushing test using a laboratory scale crusher is capable of evaluating the potential release of CNTs as a result of crushing CNT composites. The advantage of this method is that only a small amount of sample (several pieces of pellets) is required.