Table 4.

Overview of the literature with respect to monitoring the dispersion state of CNT, including information on the media into which CNT were dispersed, the CNT type, sonication power, energy input or sonication time, and characterization method applied, with a short summary of the results and the according citation for further reading.

Dispersion Medium	Nanofiller Type	Input Power	Sonication Time/Energy Input	Analyzing Tool	Results	Citation
Various surfactants (SDS, CTAB, polyxyethylene stearyl ether) and deionized water	MWCNT (neat and different functionalized types)	140 W	100 min	UV–vis	General finding for different surfactants and MWCNT: at short sonication time, absorbance increases rapidly, at higher times, absorbance levels off	[75]
NaDOC (30% cmc and 300% cmc) in Milli-Q water	SWCNT	100 and 200 W	0–60 min	UV–vis	100 W: $~$0.775 (15 min)–0.88 (60 min) (30% cmc) $~$0.825 (15 min)$~$1.25 (60 min) (300% cmc) 200 W: $~$0.85 (15 min)–1.0 (60 min) (30% cmc) $~$1.1 (15 min) $~$1.95 (60 min) (300% cmc)	[38]
17 different surfactants	SWCNT	140 W	0–120 min	UV–vis	Resonance ratio increases: 0.04 (0 min)–0.08 (120 min) (surfactant: NaDDBS)	[86]
Distilled water + polyacrylate-based dispersing agent	MWCNT	150 W	25 J/mL–400 J/mL	UV–vis	Increase in absorbance: 0.4 (25 J/mL)–0.8 (400 J/mL)	[35]
Acetone	MWCNT	/(ultrasonic bath)	2–42 h	Rheology	Increasing viscosity values with increasing sonication time	[83]
Ethanol	MWCNT	/	2 h	Rheology	Shear thinning—viscosity values: $~$106–$~$102 Pa.s (functionalized MWCNT); $~$103–$~$101 Pa.s (neat MWCNT)	[80]
DCM	MWCNT	60–70 W	0–90 min	UV–vis + rheology	UV–vis: Increase of absorbance until 30 min sonication, afterwards decrease Rheology: After 30 min, network formation, afterwards, negatively affected	[61]