Tuning the dispersibility of carbon nanostructures from organophilic to hydrophilic: towards the preparation of new multipurpose carbon-based hybrids.
The hydroxyphenyl derivatives of carbon nanostructures (graphene and carbon nanotubes) can be easily transformed into highly organophilic or hydrophilic derivatives by using the ionic interactions between the phenolic groups and oleylamine or tetramethylammonium hydroxide, respectively. The products were finely dispersed in homo-polymers or block co-polymers to create homogeneous carbon-based nanocomposites and were used as nanocarriers for the dispersion and protection of strongly hydrophobic compounds, such as large aromatic chromophores or anticancer drugs in aqueous solutions.
Materials Science Department, University of Patras, 26504 Rio (Greece). viegeorgaki@upatras.gr.
Vasilios
V
Georgakilas
Antonios
A
Kouloumpis
Dimitrios
D
Gournis
Athanasios
A
Bourlinos
Christos
C
Trapalis
Radek
R
Zboril
dispersibility; graphene; nanostructures; nanotubes; organic functionalization