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Synthesis and characterization of a hybrid material from self-assembling colloidal particles and carbon nanotubes

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Abstract

The work describes the synthesis of a hybrid material starting from surface-modified colloidal particles of styrene (ST)-acrylic acid (AA) copolymer and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Vinyl double bonds have been chemically grafted on the surface of the ST-AA copolymer particles in order to be able to copolymerize with acrylamide (AM). The hybrid material was obtained by reaction between the free radicals resulted from both copolymerization and AM homopolymerization and the superficial groups of modified CNTs. Due to the difference between the diameter of the polymer particles and the one of the CNTs, a change in the CNTs shape is to be expected (disentanglement due to steric effects). The products thus obtained have been characterized using IR, SEM, XPS, Raman, and AFM techniques.

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Acknowledgments

The National Authority for Scientific Research from The Ministry of Education, Research and Youth of Romania is gratefully acknowledged for the financial support through project “POSDRU/89/1.5/S/54785” and “POSDRU/88/1.5/S/61178”. Dr. Eugeniu Vasile is gratefully acknowledged for his kind support with the scanning electron microscopy. The project PN II IDEAS 729/2009 Polymer biomaterials for bone regeneration. Biomimetism through surface nanostructing is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Polymer Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 149 Calea Victoriei, RO-71101, Bucharest, Romania

    Alexandra Mocanu, Edina Rusen, Bogdan Marculescu & Corneliu Cincu

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  1. Alexandra Mocanu
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  2. Edina Rusen
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  3. Bogdan Marculescu
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  4. Corneliu Cincu
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Correspondence to Edina Rusen.

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Mocanu, A., Rusen, E., Marculescu, B. et al. Synthesis and characterization of a hybrid material from self-assembling colloidal particles and carbon nanotubes. Colloid Polym Sci 289, 387–394 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-011-2378-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-011-2378-z

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