Poly(ethylene) Glycol/Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Composites

Abstract

Single-walled carbon nanotubes have been shown to exhibit extraordinary electronic and mechanical properties. However, their relative inertness limits their use in many applications. Chemical functionalization can significantly modify their properties which, in addition to improving their processibility, when mixed in polymers can enhance the overall mechanical and electrical properties of the composites. In this work, we present the results of our investigation on the chemical modification of single-walled carbon nanotubes with aryl groups containing nitro substituents, and the incorporation of the modified nanotube material into a host matrix of poly(ethylene) glycol. The carbon nanotubes and composites were characterized by a combination of cyclic voltammetry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman spectroscopy, Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) and electrical resistance (I–V) measurements.