ABSTRACT
The current drive to discover and develop new materials constantly leads to the discovery and/or synthesis of more and better performing ȋƒ‘Ȍϐ‹ŽŽ‡”•™‹–Š’‘–‡–‹ƒŽƒ’’Ž‹…ƒ–‹‘•–Šƒ–’—•Š–Š‡Ž‹‹–•‘ˆ™Šƒ– is possible. In spite of their very attractive and exciting properties, •ƒ”‡‘––Š‡‘Ž›ϐ‹ŽŽ‡”•–Šƒ–…ƒ„‡‹…‘”’‘”ƒ–‡†‹–‘ƒ’‘Ž›‡” ƒ–”‹š„›Žƒ–‡š–‡…Š‘Ž‘‰›Ǥˆƒ…–ǡƒ›ϐ‹ŽŽ‡”–Šƒ–…ƒ„‡‘„–ƒ‹‡†‹ the form of a colloidally stable aqueous dispersion can, in principle, be used. ”ƒ’Š‡‡ ‹•ǡ ‹ ˆƒ…–ǡ ƒ •‹‰Ž‡ –™‘Ǧ†‹‡•‹‘ƒŽ •Š‡‡– ‘ˆ …ƒ”„‘ atoms organized in a hexagonal honeycomb lattice. Interestingly, it is possible to obtain graphene by “unzipping” CNTs by microwave treatment.43 ”ƒ’Š‡‡…ƒ„‡•‡‡ƒ•–Š‡„—‹Ž†‹‰„Ž‘…‘ˆ‰”ƒ’Š‹–‡ǡ which is made of a pile of graphene sheets whose cohesion is maintained by van der Waals forces. Due to its excellent thermal, mechanical, and charge carrier transport properties, as well as its Š‹‰Š •’‡…‹ϐ‹… •—”ˆƒ…‡ ƒ”‡ƒ ȋ…ƒŽ…—Žƒ–‡† –‘ „‡ ʹǡ͵Ͳ2/g,44 similar to CNTs), graphene opens doors to fascinating applications.45,46 In particular, incorporation of these 2D nanocrystals into a polymer matrix is very attractive to produce technologically interesting nanocomposites.47,48
As an extra illustration of the versatility of the latex-based concept, not only in terms of the choice of the polymer matrix (see Chapter ͷȌǡ„—–ƒŽ•‘”‡‰ƒ”†‹‰–Š‡ϐ‹ŽŽ‡”•‡Ž‡…–‹‘ǡ‰”ƒ’Š‡‡Ǧƒ‘…‘’‘•‹–‡• were prepared by latex-technology.49
