Novel amino-acid-based polymer/multi-walled carbon nanotube bio-nanocomposites: highly water dispersible carbon nanotubes decorated with gold nanoparticles.
A well-reproducible and completely green route towards highly water dispersible multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) is achieved by a non-invasive, polymer wrapping technique, where the polymer is adsorbed on the MWNT's surface. Simply mixing an amino-acid-based polymer derivative, namely poly methacryloyl beta-alanine (PMBA) with purified MWNTs in distilled water resulted in the formation of PMBA-MWNT nanocomposite hybrids. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were further anchored on the polymer-wrapped MWNTs, which were previously sonicated in distilled water, via the hydrogen bonding interaction between the carboxylic acid functional groups present in the polymer-modified MWNTs and the citrate-capped AuNPs. The surface morphologies and chemistries of the hybrids decorated with nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. Additionally, the composites were also prepared by the in situ free radical polymerization of the monomer, methacryloyl beta-alanine (MBA), with MWNTs. Thus functionalized MWNTs were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and TEM. Both methods were effective in the nanotube functionalization and ensured good dispersion and high stability in water over three months. Due to the presence of the high densities of carboxylic acid functionalities on the surface of CNTs, various colloidal nanocrystals can be attached to MWNTs.
Division of Image Science and Information Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan 608-739, Republic of Korea.
Nanjundan Ashok
NA
Kumar
Andreas
A
Bund
Byung Gwon
BG
Cho
Kwon Taek
KT
Lim
Yeon Tae
YT
Jeong
D000409:Alanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D055772:Green Chemistry Technology; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013499:Surface Properties; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; D014867:Water; D006046:Gold; D000409:Alanine