title: A direct route toward assembly of nanoparticle-carbon nanotube composite materials.
abstract: The preparation of nanocomposite materials from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and metal or metal oxide nanoparticles has important implications to the development of advanced catalytic and sensory materials. This paper reports findings of an investigation of the preparation of nanoparticle-coated carbon nanotube composite materials. Our approach involves molecularly mediated assembly of monolayer-capped nanoparticles on multiwalled CNTs via a combination of hydrophobic and hydrogen-bonding interactions between the capping/mediating shell and the CNT surface. The advantage of this route is that it does not require tedious surface modification of CNTs. We have demonstrated its simplicity and effectiveness for assembling alkanethiolate-capped gold nanoparticles of 2-5 nm core sizes onto CNTs with controllable coverage and spatially isolated character. The loading and distribution of the nanoparticles on CNTs depend on the relative concentrations of gold nanoparticles, CNTs, and mediating or linking agents. The composite nanomaterials can be dispersed in organic solvent, and the capping/linking shells can be removed by thermal treatment to produce controllable nanocrystals on the CNT surfaces. The nanocomposite materials are characterized using transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques. The results will be discussed in terms of developing advanced catalytic and sensory nanomaterials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, New York 13902, USA.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: F Louis
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Kirk
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Mathew M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Maye
authors.forename: Nancy N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Kariuki
authors.forename: Yuehe
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chongmin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chuan-Jian
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D006046:Gold