title: Synthesis and characterization of chitosan-carbon nanotube composites.
abstract: Acid functionalized single walled carbon nanotubes were covalently grafted to chitosan by first reacting the oxidized carbon nanotubes with thionyl chloride to form acyl-chlorinated carbon nanotubes which are subsequently dispersed in chitosan and covalently grated to form composite material, CNT-chitosan, 1, which was washed several times to remove un-reacted materials. This composite has been characterized by FTIR, 13C NMR, TGA, SEM and TEM and has been shown to exhibit enhanced thermal stability. The reaction of 1, with poly lactic acid has also been accomplished to yield CNTchitosan-g-poly(LA), 2 and fully characterized by the above techniques. Results showed covalent attachment of chitosan and chitosan-poly lactic acid to the carbon nanotubes.
authors.affiliation: Cooperative Agricultural Research Center, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, United States.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.forename: Cordella
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kelly-Brown
authors.forename: Melisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Aderemi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oki
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Regisford
authors.forename: Zhiping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Vladimir I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Bakhmutov