A Water Soluble Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Aryl Aziridino Carboxylic Acid Decorated Mn (II) Complex Increased Root Growth in Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract

Single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been rendered water soluble as an aryl aziridino derivative decorated with carboxylic acids as a Mn (II) complex (III). This leads to increased root growth in Arabidopsis thaliana. The discovery of Nano‐carbon materials (NCMs) [Fullerenes, Carbon Nano Tubes (CNTs) and Graphene] has been recognized by the award of two Nobel prizes. Large‐scale industrial use of NCMs is hampered by their low solubility in most common solvents. The tensile strength of SWCNTs is approximately twenty three times more than that of steel and yet it is five times lighter. Successful functionalization makes CNTs more soluble allowing for many more possible applications in biomedical and material science (Solar cells). Synthesis of the water soluble SWCNT‐aryl‐aziridino‐carboxylic acid decorated Mn (II) complex (III) is described here along with its characterization using UV‐Visible, FT‐IR, Raman spectroscopy, EPR, TEM, Cyclic voltammetry techniques, confirming successful functionalization. SWCNT has been made water soluble by a two‐step procedure not involving any harsh steps like treatment with conc. acids. This has been achieved by reaction with an aryl azide followed by alkaline KMnO4 oxidation, when the above complex SWCNT−Mn (II) complex (III) was obtained. This complex has been observed to lead to increased root length growth in Arabidopsis thaliana.