Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Encapsulation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with copolymer to disperse in aqueous media

  • ORIGINAL PAPER
  • Published:
Journal of Polymer Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An emulsion-like polymerization technique called admicellar polymerization (AP) was used to encapsulate a thin film of copolymer on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). A water-soluble component sodium acrylate and a non-water soluble component methyl methacrylate were used to form thin films of copolymer on multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Various ratios of polymer combinations were formulated on MWCNT’s to understand the stability of polymer composition and surface heterogeneity on MWCNT’s. Encapsulated MWCNTs were characterized using SEM, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), thermal analysis and FT-IR. Analytical studies indicate the formation of copolymer on MWCNTs. Monomer conversion rate and copolymer reactivity ratios were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) by Fineman-Ross and Kelen-Tüdos methods. The copolymer combination showed an alternating tendency and azeotropic composition at 0.6 acrylate monomer. The encapsulated MWCNTs were stable in aqueous media with onset of aggregate formation beginning at 40 days for the copolymer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Alavi MHS, Habibi M, Amrollahi R, Afshar Taromi F (2011) A Study on Plasma Polymerization of Acrylic Acid Using APF Plasma Focus Device. J Fusion Energ 30(2):184–189

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Beyler CL, Hirschler MM (2001) Thermal decomposition of polymers. In SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, Third Ed., 1–110, Sect. 1, Chap. 7

  3. Cheng Z, Pan Q, Rempel GL (2010) Modification of multiwall carbon nanotubes via soap-free emulsion polymerization of acrylonitrile. J Polym Sci A Polym Chem 48(10):2057–2062

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Dubinsky S, Grader GS, Shter GE, Silverstein MS (2004) Thermal degradation of poly(acrylic acid) containing copper nitrate. Polym Degrad Stab 86(1):171–178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Dufresne A, Paillet M, Putaux JL, Canet R, Carmona F, Delhaes P, Cui S (2002) Processing and characterization of carbon nanotube/poly(styrene-co-butyl acrylate) nanocomposites. J Mater Sci 37(18):3915–3923

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Guo G, Yang D, Wang C, Yang S (2006) “Fishing” Polymer Brushes on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes by in-Situ Free Radical Polymerization in a Poor Solvent. Macromolecules 39(26):9035–9040

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Haddon RC (2002) Carbon Nanotubes. Acc Chem Res 35(12):997–997

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hanumansetty S, Maity J, Foster R, O’Rear EA (2012) Stain Resistance of Cotton Fabrics before and after Finishing with Admicellar Polymerization. Appl Sci 2(1):192–205

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Jeevananda T, Siddaramaiah KNH, Heo S-B, Lee JH (2008) Synthesis and characterization of polyaniline-multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposites in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Polym Adv Technol 19(12):1754–1762

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Jiang B-P, Hu L-F, Shen X-C, Ji S-C, Shi Z, Liu C-J, Zhang L, Liang H (2014) One-Step Preparation of a Water-Soluble Carbon Nanohorn/Phthalocyanine Hybrid for Dual-Modality Photothermal and Photodynamic Therapy. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 6(20):18008–18017

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Konaganti VK, Madras G (2009) Photocatalytic and Thermal Degradation of Poly(methyl methacrylate), Poly(butyl acrylate), and Their Copolymers. Ind Eng Chem Res 48(4):1712–1718

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Liu A, Honma I, Ichihara M, Zhou H (2006) Poly(acrylic acid)-wrapped multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite solubilization in water: definitive spectroscopic properties. Nanotechnology 17(12):2845–2849

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Liu Y, Wang G-J, Wu Y-J (2014) Amphiphilicity and self-assembly behaviors of polystyrene-grafted multi-walled carbon nanotubes in selective solvents. Colloid Polym Sci 292(1):185–196

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lu KL, Lago RM, Chen YK, Green MLH, Harris PJF, Tsang SC (1996) Mechanical damage of carbon nanotubes by ultrasound. Carbon 34(6):814–816

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Mallakpour S, Zadehnazari A (2013) Functionalization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes with S-valine amino acid and its reinforcement on amino acid-containing poly(amide-imide) bionanocomposites. High Performance Polymers 25(8):966–979

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. MFL DV, Tawfick SH, Baughman RH, Hart AJ (2013) Carbon Nanotubes: Present and Future Commercial Applications. Science 339(6119):535–539

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Moore TL, Grimes SW, Lewis RL, Alexis F (2013) Multilayered Polymer-Coated Carbon Nanotubes To Deliver Dasatinib. Mol Pharm 11(1):276–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Mu B, Liu P, Yu X, Pan F, Gao Z, Liu X (2010) Preparation and characterization of conductor–insulator–semiconductor sandwich-structured MWCNT/double-layer polymer hybrid nanocomposites. Synth Met 160(21–22):2329–2335

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Nguyen D, Such CH, Hawkett BS (2013) Polymer coating of carboxylic acid functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer mediated emulsion polymerization. J Polym Sci A Polym Chem 51(2):250–257

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Odian G (2004) Principles of polymerization, 4th edn. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, pp 350–371

  21. O'Haver JH, Harwell JH, O'Rear EA, Snodgrass LJ, Waddell WH (1994) In situ Formation of Polystyrene in Adsorbed Surfactant Bilayers on Precipitated Silica. Langmuir 10(8):2588–2593

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Poochai C, Pongprayoon T (2014) Enhancing dispersion of carbon nanotube in polyacrylonitrile matrix using admicellar polymerization. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 456(0):67–74

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Song Pa XL, Guo Z, Zhang Y, Fang Z (2008) Flame-retardant-wrapped carbon nanotubes for simultaneously improving the flame retardancy and mechanical properties of polypropylene. J Mater Chem 18(42):5083–5091

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Sung YT, Han MS, Song KH, Jung JW, Lee HS, Kum CK, Joo J, Kim WN (2006) Rheological and electrical properties of polycarbonate/multi-walled carbon nanotube composites. Polymer 47(12):4434–4439

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Urbanová V, Allali N, Ghach W, Mamane V, Etienne M, Dossot M, Walcarius A (2013) Functionalized carbon nanotubes for bioelectrochemical applications: Critical influence of the linker. J Electroanal Chem 707(0):129–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Wang S, Russo T, Qiao G, Solomon D, Shanks R (2006) Admicellar polymerization of styrene with divinyl benzene on alumina particles: the synthesis of white reinforcing fillers. J Mater Sci 41(22):7474–7482

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Wang G, Yang J, Wang Y, Liu Y (2010) Self-assembly behavior of carbon nanotubes modified by amphiphilic block copolymer. Colloid Polym Sci 288(18):1677–1685

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Wu J, Harwell JH, O'Rear EA (1987) Two-dimensional solvents: kinetics of styrene polymerization in admicelles at or near saturation. J Phys Chem 91(3):623–634

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Wu D, Wu L, Zhang M, Zhao Y (2008) Viscoelasticity and thermal stability of polylactide composites with various functionalized carbon nanotubes. Polym Degrad Stab 93(8):1577–1584

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Xia H, Wang Q, Qiu G (2003) Polymer-Encapsulated Carbon Nanotubes Prepared through Ultrasonically Initiated In Situ Emulsion Polymerization. Chem Mater 15(20):3879–3886

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Xia H, Qiu G, Wang Q (2006) Polymer/carbon nanotube composite emulsion prepared through ultrasonically assisted in situ emulsion polymerization. J Appl Polym Sci 100(4):3123–3130

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Zou W, Z-j D, Y-x L, Yang X, H-q L, Zhang C (2008) Functionalization of MWNTs using polyacryloyl chloride and the properties of CNT–epoxy matrix nanocomposites. Compos Sci Technol 68(15–16):3259–3264

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Zou P, Shi G-Y, Pan C-Y (2009) Large-compound vesicle-encapsulated multiwalled carbon nanotubes: A unique route to nanotube composites. J Polym Sci A Polym Chem 47(14):3669–3679

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The research was funded in part from a grant obtained from United States Department of Energy for Center for Application of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes. The authors acknowledge SWeNT for supplying multi-walled carbon nanotubes for research purpose. The author (S.H.) also wants to express appreciation to Rolf Jentoft for his help with TG equipment (NSF Grant No: 0923247). The authors also want to acknowledge Preston Larson for his help with SEM and elemental analysis and Greg Strout for TEM analysis.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Buckman International Laboratories, Memphis, USA

    Srinivas Hanumansetty

  2. School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering, Institute of Applied Surfactant Research, University of Oklahoma, 100 E. Boyd, SEC T301, Norman, OK, 73019, USA

    Srinivas Hanumansetty, Edgar O’Rear & Daniel E. Resasco

Authors
  1. Srinivas Hanumansetty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Edgar O’Rear
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Daniel E. Resasco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edgar O’Rear.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hanumansetty, S., O’Rear, E. & Resasco, D.E. Encapsulation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with copolymer to disperse in aqueous media. J Polym Res 24, 228 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-017-1363-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-017-1363-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation