Authors: E Titus, N Ali, G Cabral, J Gracio, P Ramesh Babu, MJ Jackson

Publication Date: 04/2006

Journal: Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance

Volume: 15

Pages: 182-186

Publisher: Springer-Verlag

This article reports key findings on the chemical functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNT). The functionalization of chemical vapor-deposited CNT was carried out by treating tubes with polyvinyl alcohol through ultrasonication in water with the aid of a surfactant. The surfactant is expected to promote the unbundling of aggregated CNT. The characterization of functionalized samples using thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the CNT were functionalized by the interaction of carboxylic acid and hydroxyl groups. From the characterization studies, it is apparent that there is a strong interaction between these functional groups and the covalently bonded carbon in the CNT network. The functionalization process enabled good CNT dispersion in the solution, and the CNT remained in suspension for many days.