Dalcanale, FedericoGrossenbacher, JonasBlugan, GurdialGullo, MaurizioBrugger, JürgenTevaearai, HendrikGraule, ThomasKuebler, Jakob2016-03-072016-03-07201610.1016/j.jcis.2016.02.050https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/124624WOS:000373096500016A strategy for a simple dispersion of commercial multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) using two organosilicones, polycarbosilane SMP10 and polysilazane Ceraset PSZ20, in organic solvents such as cyclohexane, tetrahydrofuran (THF), m-xylene and chloroform is presented. In just a few minutes the combined action of sonication and the presence of Pt(0) catalyst is sufficient to obtain a homogeneous suspension, thanks to the rapid hydrosilylation reaction between Sisingle bondH groups of the polymer and the CNT sidewall. The as-produced suspensions have a particle size distribution <1 μm and remain unchanged after several months. A maximum of 0.47 and 0.50 mg/ml was achieved, respectively, for Ceraset in THF and SMP10 in chloroform. Possible applications as polymeric and ceramic thin films or aerogels are presented.MWCNT suspensionHydrosilylationPolycarbosilanePolysilazaneAerogeltext::journal::journal article::research article