Grafting polyamide 6 onto multi‐walled carbon nanotubes using microwave irradiation |
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| Authors: | Shu Huang Tianxi Liu Wei‐De Zhang Wuiwui Chauhari Tjiu Chaobin He Xuehong Lu |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers of Ministry of Education, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China;2. Nano Science Research Center, College of Chemistry, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China;3. Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 3 Research Link, Singapore 117602;4. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 |
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| Abstract: | Chemical reactions under microwave irradiation can be very efficient, with a significant shortening of reaction time. Few studies have reported the use of microwaves to functionalize carbon nanotubes. In the work reported, a new method of formulating functionalized multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) was developed by covalent grafting of polyamide 6 (PA6) chains onto the carbon nanotubes assisted by microwave irradiation. PA6 chains were grafted onto acidified MWNTs through condensation reaction between the carboxylic groups of the MWNTs and the terminal amine groups of PA6 using microwave radiation heating. The functionalized carbon nanotubes (MWNT‐g‐PA6) were characterized systematically using infrared and Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). TEM showed that the surface of the MWNTs was covered with a layer of PA6. TGA results indicated that the MWNT‐g‐PA6 contained about 47 wt% of polymer. A novel, convenient and efficient functionalization approach is reported, involving covalently grafting PA6 chains onto MWNTs assisted by microwave irradiation. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry |
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| Keywords: | carbon nanotubes functionalization polyamide 6 microwave radiation |
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