6533b86dfe1ef96bd12c9e87

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Tailoring Properties of Carbon Nanotube Dispersions and Nanocomposites Using Temperature-Responsive Copolymers of Pyrene-Modified Poly(N-cyclopropylacrylamide)

Florian D. JochumJaime C. GrunlanPatrick TheatoPatrick TheatoMichael A. CoxKrishna C. EtikaPhilipp Schattling

subject

chemistry.chemical_classificationNanotubeNanocompositeMaterials scienceAqueous solutionPolymers and PlasticsOrganic ChemistryPolymerCarbon nanotubeLower critical solution temperaturelaw.inventionInorganic ChemistryChemical engineeringchemistrylawPolymer chemistryMaterials ChemistryThermoresponsive polymers in chromatographyDispersion (chemistry)

description

Despite their immense potential, the ability to control the dispersion and microstructure of carbon nanotubes remains a hurdle for their widespread use. Stimuli-responsive polymers show conformational changes with an applied external stimulus (pH, temperature, light, etc.). The dispersion of carbon nanotubes by thermoresponsive polymers is shown to enable the macroscopic properties of aqueous suspensions to be tailored as a function of temperature. This work presents the synthesis, characterization, and use of temperature-responsive poly(N-cyclopropylacrylamide) (PNCPA) polymers containing 1, 3, and 5 mol % pyrene-bearing repeat units to tailor the dispersion state of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) in water. Turbidity measurements show that the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of PNCPA decreases with increasing pyrene content. Viscosity measurements on aqueous SWNT suspensions stabilized with pyrene-functionalized PNCPA show highly entangled and well-dispersed nanotube microstructure abov...

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2010-10-25Macromolecules
https://doi.org/10.1021/ma101696q