An insight into the functionalisation of carbon nanotubes by diazonium chemistry: Towards a controlled decoration
The derivatisation of materials including iron, gold, and carbon by addition of diazonium salts is a reliable process to tune their interfacial interaction with the surrounding media. In this regard, the functionalisation of carbon nanostructures by diazonium chemistry is a versatile strategy to obtain soluble nanomaterials with degrees of functionalisation among the highest ever reported. Starting from these premises we have studied the functionalisation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes by addition of the aryl diazonium salts generated in situ by treatment of 4-methoxyaniline with isopentylnitrite. Following a thorough purification and characterisation protocol (UV-vis, TGA, ATR-IR, cyclic…
Carbon nanotubes and organic solar cells
The use of carbon nanotubes in photovoltaics is still challenging due to different issues connected to their synthesis, purification, functionalization, processing and device integration. From this perspective at first we review on selected contributions dealing with the above issues; then we focus on the advantages and limitations of carbon nanotubes for the development of organic solar cells.
Thiophene pyrenyl derivatives for the supramolecular processability of single-walled carbon nanotubes in thin film heterojunction
Abstract A major problem for the use of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in electronic devices relates to their poor processability. Chemical modification inevitably introduces defects in the nanotube lattice, resulting in a loss of electronic properties. In this contest, we report on a supramolecular approach with the aim of increasing the dispersion of SWCNTs in solution and in organic semiconductor matrices by ensuring the optoelectronic properties. In particular, new pyrenyl derivatives of thiophene have been synthesized and used to improve the solubility of SWCNTs for electron transfer in thin film heterojunction with poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as donor system. Photoinduced ele…
On the trade-off between processability and opto-electronic properties of single wall carbon nanotube derivatives in thin film heterojunctions
A flow functionalization route has been employed to derivatize single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) by thienylphenyl groups. The SWCNT derivatives in the most soluble fraction have been characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, DLS analysis, DFT calculations, and UV-vis-NIR, microRaman and IR spectroscopies to study the degree of functionalization, the concentration of SWCNTs in solution, the dimension of the aggregates in solutions, the density of defects, and the presence of the thienylphenyl groups. Thin-film heterojunctions made of SWCNT derivatives and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) have been prepared by various methods employing the Langmuir–Schaefer technique, spin-coating and the…