One of the key challenges for the commercialization of carbon nanotube fibers (CNTFs) is their large-scale economic production. Among CNTF spinning methods, surfactant-based wet spinning is one of the promising techniques for mass producing CNTFs. Here, we investigated how the coagulation bath composition affects the spinnability and the properties of CNTFs in surfactant-based wet spinning. We used acetone, DMAc, ethanol, and IPA as coagulants and analyzed the relationship between coagulation bath composition and the properties of CNTFs in terms of kinetic and thermodynamic coagulation parameters. From a kinetic perspective, we found that a low mass transfer rate difference (MTRD) is favorable for wet spinning. Based on this finding, we mixed the coagulant bath with solvent in a proper ratio to reduce the MTRD, which generally improved the wet spinning. We also showed that the coagulation strength, a thermodynamic parameter, should be considered. We believe that our research can contribute to establishment of surfactant-based wet spinning of CNTFs.

Coagulation engineering of surfactant-based wet spinning of carbon nanotube fibers
    Abstract
    1 Introduction
    2 Experimental
        2.1 Materials
        2.2 CNT dispersion
        2.3 CNT wet spinning
        2.4 CNT characterization
        2.5 CNT dispersion characterization
        2.6 CNT fiber characterization
    3 Results and discussion
        3.1 Spinnability
        3.2 Effect of dispersion state
        3.3 Effect of coagulation bath composition on spinnability
        3.4 Kinetic aspects of coagulation
        3.5 Thermodynamic aspects of coagulation
    4 Conclusions
    Acknowledgements 
    References

• Yun Ho Jeong(School of Chemical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea)
• Jaegyun Im(School of Chemical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea)
• Dong‑Myeong Lee(Institute of Advanced Composite Materials, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Wanjugun, Jeonbuk 55324, Republic of Korea)
• Min Chan Kim(School of Chemical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea)
• Daehan Oh(School of Chemical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea)
• Jeonghyeon Son(School of Chemical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea)
• Seunggyu Park(Institute of Advanced Composite Materials, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Wanjugun, Jeonbuk 55324, Republic of Korea)
• Kyu Hyun(School of Chemical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea)
• Beomjin Jeong(School of Chemical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea, Department of Organic Material Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea)
• Jaegeun Lee(School of Chemical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea, Department of Organic Material Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea) Corresponding author