I have Co3O4 nanoparticles and would like to disperse them on SiC. I have tried doing so in various solvents such as water, dilute HNO3 ethanol and I have obtain poor dispersion. Can anyone suggest ways to improve my dispersion?
You could consider high shear mixing with e.g., a Silverson-type mixer. Or possibly use of a surfactant. I've read about CNTs being dispersed in surfactant-containing aqueous solution, if I can find the reference I'll post it here.
Try DMK (acetone) or DMF (dimethyl formamide, "the universal solvent") for initial contact with the NPs and grind if necessary. Then add a modicum of surfactant e.g., PEG 60. You can calculate that amount based on the type of surfactant you select. Wet the SiC with solvent and apply suspension. Some use the spin disc coating technique.
All this depends on what you're starting with or are trying to accomplish in the end...
Are your particles dispersed in solution? If yes you can try using a solvent that dries fast so aggregation can not occur during spreading on the surface (I use methanol for something similar and it is way better than water). Additionally, you can do freeze drying or electro spraying if simply using a fast drying solvent does not work. If the dispersion is already bad in solution you can try e.g. sonication or surfactants. You could also try to centrifuge the solution and discard the pellet. (this way you can remove large aggregates [conditions depend on the particle size you need]). I hope it helps.
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