Self-Assembly and Carbon Nanoparticle Dispersions

Carbon-based nanomaterials have attracted a lot of attention in research due to their wide application in electronic, mechanical, chemical, optical, etc. fields. Carbon nanomaterials have a nonpolar nature and tend to aggregate due to van der Waals interactions, which make them difficult to use for their intended properties and applications. However, one of their main limitations is their nonpolar nature and tendency to aggregate. In this situation, surface chemistry plays a significant role in the state of particle dispersion in the final product. Many efforts have been made to solve this challenge with different methods. Meanwhile, self-assembly is one of the important methods to achieve this goal by using intermolecular interactions. This method provides the achievement of unique properties in a reversible manner without forming or breaking covalent bonds. As a result, it is possible to correct dynamic problems and better control the system with this method. The purpose of this research is to provide an overview of the dispersion of carbon particles and their self-assembly. For this purpose, in the first part, after introducing carbon nanoparticles, the principles of dispersion are investigated. Then the dispersion of nanoparticles and, in the next section, the dispersion of carbon nanoparticles will be summarized. In the next sections, the methods of dispersion improvement of carbon nanoparticles by categorizing and self-assembly (as one of these methods) will be discussed. Then the synthesis of these particles, along with the effective parameters and upcoming challenges, is examined, and at the end, case studies will be reviewed.