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Functionalization of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes with Thermo-reversible Block Copolymers and Characterization by Small-angle Neutron Scattering
Published on: June 1, 2016
Solvent-dependent fluorescence property of multi-walled carbon nanotubes noncovalently functionalized by
Yan Gao1, Minmin Shi, Renjia Zhou
1Zhejiang-California International Nanosystems Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were supramolecularly functionalized by pyrene-derivatized hydrolyzed poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (pyrene-HSMA) in aqueous solution. The MWCNTs/pyrene-HSMA conjugates were found to exhibit a solvent-dependent fluorescence property by photoluminescence measurements. The fluorescence intensity of the MWCNTs/pyrene-HSMA conjugate was used as a probe to estimate the interaction between polymer and MWCNTs in solvents. The polymer conformation around the MWCNTs was demonstrated by atomic force microscopy. We suggested that pyrene-HSMA functionalized MWCNTs in a non-wrapping mode, and that the conformation change of the polymer around the MWCNTs resulted in the solvent-dependent fluorescence property. The dispersion state of the MWCNTs/pyrene-HSMA conjugate in various solvents was also investigated by transmission electron microscopy. The fluorescence responses of the MWCNTs/pyrene-HSMA conjugate to pH value and temperature were studied as well.

