Novel UV Initiator for Functionalization of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization Applied on Two Different Grades of Nanotubes
Publication: Research - peer-review › Journal article – Annual report year: 2010
A novel nonoxidative method for preparation of functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) has been developed based on a UV sensitive initiator for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The method has been investigated with respect to ligands and polymerization time for the preparation of polystyrene functionalized MWCNT. It was found that pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) gave superior results with higher loading in shorter polymerization time. A comparative study of the method applied on two different grades of nonoxidized MWCNT has been performed, illustrating large differences in reactivity and polymer loading, underlining the importance of the choice of MWCNT starting material. In addition to styrene, also poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA) was shown to polymerize from the surface of the MWCNT. Finally, initial results from composites of polystyrene or polyphenylenesulfide are presented.
|Journal||Journal of Polymer Science. Part A, Polymer Chemistry|
|Citations||Web of Science® Times Cited: 11|
- multiwalled carbon nanotubes, polystyrene, atom transfer radical polymerization, ultra violet light, surface initiation, composites