Noncovalent Nonspecific Functionalization and Solubilization of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes at High Concentrations with a Hyperbranched Polyethylene
✍ Scribed by Lixin Xu; Zhibin Ye; Qingzhou Cui; Zhiyong Gu
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2009
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 725 KB
- Volume
- 210
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1022-1352
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✦ Synopsis
Abstract
A hyperbranched polyethylene (HBPE) is employed herein for noncovalent nonspecific functionalization and solubilization of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in organic solvents. Though constructed solely from ethylene without any specific functionality, this unique hyperbranched polymer has been found to effectively solubilize MWCNTs at surprisingly high concentrations (up to 1 235 mg · L^−1^) in organic solvents such as chloroform and THF. These solubilities are comparable to and even better than the reported best values obtained through noncovalent specific functionalization with conjugated polymers capable of forming specific π__‐__π interaction with nanotubes in organic solvents. TEM and XRD results confirm that the nanotubes are completely exfoliated and debundled/de‐entangled upon functionalization with HBPE.
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