We developed a new method to covalently attach well-defined polymers onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using a radical reaction. Well-defined poly(t-butyl acrylate) [p(tBA)] was first prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization, which formed radicals at the end of the polymer chain through an atom transfer. The generated radicals at the chain ends added CNTs to generate covalently functionalized p(tBA)-grafted CNTs. The polymer-attached CNTs showed much improved solubility in organic solvents. The synthesized MWNT-g-p(tBA) and SWNT-g-p(tBA) were characterized by IR, TGA and Raman spectroscopy, clearly indicating the formation of covalent bonding between p(tBA) and CNTs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.