A New Approach to Synthesis of Free-Standing ZnO/MWCNT Nanocomposites by Vacuum Infiltration

In this study, free-standing zincoxide/multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposite was synthesized by a multistep technique. Buckypapers having controlled porosity were prepared by vacuum filtration from oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes. Zinc acetate dihydrate (ZnAc) ($Zn(CH_3COO)_2$ ·$2H_2O$) was used as zinc source and ethanol used as solvent. An appropriate amount of monoethanolamine was added to sol to change acid-base media. The solution was vacuum filtered through buckypaper and annealed at 350C in air. It was found that the zinc oxide grows around the multiwalled carbon nanotubes to form a uniform composite. Morphology of zine oxide/multiwalled carbon nanotube was also studied in detail. Nanocomposite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy.