The unique mechanical, optical, and electrical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) make them very attractive building blocks for the fabrication of advanced materials with improved performance or even with new properties1,2. However, the poor dispersibility of CNTs in solvents or polymer matrices requires the functionalization of their surface by chemical modification. Such CNT/polymer hybrids can be accessible through the methodologies of noncovalent mixing/adsorption and covalent linkage between polymer-modified CNTs and polymeric materials3. In this regard, covalent functionalization of CNTs via Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT) grafting-from polymerization opens up new opportunities for the design, synthesis, and application of CNT-based nanomaterials and nanodevices. Here, we functionalized MWNT with the RAFT agent -(ethoxycarbonyl)prop-2-yl dithiobenzoate) (as given in fig. 1) to polymerized acrylonitrile from the MWNT surface. The polyacrylonitrile (PAN) grafts were exploited for the nucleation and stabilization of CdSe nanocrystals onto the surface of MWNT. The advantage of the proposed method is that the attachment of PAN strands on the surface of MWNTs allow to increase the concentration of Cd2+ of the MWNT surface, as the CN groups can effectivelly coordinate Cd2+. Moreover, the coverage and loading of CdSe nanocrystals on MWNTs’ surfaces can be tuned by controlling the experimental parameters. Compositions in which MWNT and semiconducting nanoparticles are combined and dispersed in a conjugated polymer matrix are of inteest as photoelectronic materials.
Functionalization of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes by RAFT polymerization and CdSe nanoparticle attachment through surface localised nucleation and growth
CASTELVETRO, VALTER;
2008-01-01
Abstract
The unique mechanical, optical, and electrical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) make them very attractive building blocks for the fabrication of advanced materials with improved performance or even with new properties1,2. However, the poor dispersibility of CNTs in solvents or polymer matrices requires the functionalization of their surface by chemical modification. Such CNT/polymer hybrids can be accessible through the methodologies of noncovalent mixing/adsorption and covalent linkage between polymer-modified CNTs and polymeric materials3. In this regard, covalent functionalization of CNTs via Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT) grafting-from polymerization opens up new opportunities for the design, synthesis, and application of CNT-based nanomaterials and nanodevices. Here, we functionalized MWNT with the RAFT agent -(ethoxycarbonyl)prop-2-yl dithiobenzoate) (as given in fig. 1) to polymerized acrylonitrile from the MWNT surface. The polyacrylonitrile (PAN) grafts were exploited for the nucleation and stabilization of CdSe nanocrystals onto the surface of MWNT. The advantage of the proposed method is that the attachment of PAN strands on the surface of MWNTs allow to increase the concentration of Cd2+ of the MWNT surface, as the CN groups can effectivelly coordinate Cd2+. Moreover, the coverage and loading of CdSe nanocrystals on MWNTs’ surfaces can be tuned by controlling the experimental parameters. Compositions in which MWNT and semiconducting nanoparticles are combined and dispersed in a conjugated polymer matrix are of inteest as photoelectronic materials.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
