title: Spectroscopic evidence for pi-pi interaction between poly(diallyl dimethylammonium) chloride and multiwalled carbon nanotubes.
abstract: The interaction between multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and aqueous poly(diallyl dimethylammonium) chloride (PDDA) was studied by X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and photoacoustic Fourier transform infrared (PA-FTIR) spectroscopies. We have found that the mild sonication of MWCNTs in aqueous PDDA results in a significant improvement of CNT dispersibility and greatly enhances their adhesion to Au and Si substrates. The MWCNT-PDDA interaction is due to the presence of an unsaturated contaminant in the PDDA chain, as confirmed by both XPS and PA-FTIR, which enters into a pi-pi interaction with the CNTs. Electrostatic group repulsions of the coated CNTs then provide the dispersibility and adhesion.
authors.affiliation: Regroupement Québécois de Matériaux de Pointe, Département de Génie Physique, Ecole Polytechnique, C.P. 6079, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3A7, Canada.
authors.forename: De-Quan
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jean-Francois
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Rochette
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sacher