Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes and related nanocomposites.
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were functionalized by poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVOH) copolymer under carbodiimide-activated esterification reaction conditions. Similar to the parent EVOH copolymer, the EVOH-functionalized carbon nanotubes are soluble in highly polar solvent systems such as DMSO and hot ethanol-water mixtures. The soluble EVOH-SWNT sample was characterized by various techniques, including optical absorption, Raman, NMR, electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The common solubility of EVOH and EVOH-SWNT allowed their intimate mixing in solution, and thus the fabrication of nanocomposites in which the SWNTs are homogeneously dispersed in the polymer matrix.
Fernando
K A Shiral
KA
Department of Chemistry and Laboratory for Emerging Materials and Technology, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634-0973, USA.
Lin
Yi
Y
Zhou
Bing
B
Grah
Michael
M
Joseph
Ronalda
R
Allard
Lawrence F
LF
Sun
Ya-Ping
YP
D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D036103:Nanotechnology; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000737:chemistry*; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013696:Temperature; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D014867:Water
D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D011108:Polymers; D011145:Polyvinyls; D014867:Water; C020320:ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer; D000431:Ethanol