Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Functionalized with Polymers: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWNTs) exhibit a number of intriguing mechanical, thermal, and electronic properties that render them useful for numerous applications, ranging from molecular electronics to nano-scale construction materials.  Although these numerous potential applications can have a significant impact on future technologies, the commercial exploitation of SWNTs has, thus far, been extremely limited.  The highly insoluble nature of these materials is one of the major limitations to their use as they cannot be manipulated in solution at practical concentrations using any known solvents.  In an attempt overcome this limitation, we have been investigating the covalent and non-covalent functionalization of SWNTs with polymers having controlled architectures.  Considering that the diverse chemistry of polymers allows for the preparation of materials that range from hydrophilic, water-soluble structures to hydrophobic, organic-soluble structures, the combination of such polymers with carbon nanotubes should result in the formation of soluble composite materials with controllable properties.  We have utilized both covalent and non-covalent strategies to graft polymers to the nanotube surface that provide solubility in water, and enable the complexation of other nanomaterials, such as quantum dots and nanowires to the nanotube surface.  Using conjugated polymers for the supramolecular functionalization of nanotubes, we have investigated various methods to pattern and coat nanotubes on surfaces, and have prepared highly sensitive biosensors out of these materials. This presentation will provide an overview of recent results involving new methods for functionalization of SWNTs with various polymers, and will touch upon the properties and potential applications of the resulting composite materials.