Polymers containing functionalized carbon nanotubes

摘要

A polymer composite composed of a polymerized mixture of functionalized carbon nanotubes and monomer which chemically reacts with the functionalized nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes are functionalized by reacting with oxidizing or other chemical media through chemical reactions or physical adsorption. The reacted surface carbons of the nanotubes are further functionalized with chemical moieties that react with the surface carbons and selected monomers. The functionalized nanotubes are first dispersed in an appropriate medium such as water, alcohol or a liquefied monomer and then the mixture is polymerized. The polymerization results in polymer chains of increasing weight bound to the surface carbons of the nanotubes. The composite may consists of some polymer chains imbedded in the composite without attachment to the nanotubes. The resulting composite yields superior chemical, physical and electrical properties over polymer composites that are only physically mixed and without binding to the surface carbons of the nanotubes.

主权项

1. A method for preparing a polymer composite containing carbon nanotubes comprising the steps of:
functionalizing multiwalled carbon nanotubes by chemically reacting surface carbon including basal plane layers of the multiwalled carbon nanotubes with functional groups; dispersing the functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes in an appropriate vehicle, wherein said functionalized carbon nanotubes comprise reacted basal plane surface carbon atoms; adding a selected monomer reactive with sites on said functionalized nanotubes to the dispersion, wherein said monomer comprises a monomer of polycarbonates, polyamides, polyesters, polyurethanes or mixtures thereof; and causing said monomer to polymerize, and react with or form a functional group on said functionalized nanotubes to form said composite.