Self-assembled multiwalled carbon nanotube films assisted by ureidopyrimidinone-based multiple hydrogen bonds

Self-assembled functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) films were successfully constructed, linked by a kind of strong binding strength from the self-complementary hydrogen-bonding array of ureidopyrimidinone-based modules (UPM) attached. Employing the feasible reaction of isocyanate containing ureidopyrimidinone with amine modified MWNTs, the UPMs composed of ureidopyrimidinone and ureido were attached to MWNTs with the content as low as 0.6 mmol/g MWNTs. Upon multiple hydrogen-bonding interactions from incorporation of the AADD (A, hydrogen-bonding acceptor; D, hydrogen-bonding donor) quadruple hydrogen bonds of ureidopyrimidinone and the double hydrogen bonds of ureido group, UPM functionalized MWNTs (MWNT-UPM) can be well dispersed in the polar solvent of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), while they tend to self-assemble to give a self-supported film in the apolar solvent of CHCl3. In addition, by using the multiple hydrogen-bonding interactions as the driving force, the layer-by-layer (LBL) MWNT-UPM films with high coverage on solid slides can be processed. Because of the self-association of MWNT-UPM in apolar solvent, it was found that the LBL assembly of MWNT-UPM was more favorable in the polar solvent of DMF than in the apolar solvent of CHCl3. Moreover, the hydrogen-bonding linked MWNT-UPM films showed good stability upon soaking in different solvents. Furthermore, the as-prepared LBL films showed electrochemical active behaviors, exhibiting a remarkable catalytic effect on the reduction of nifedipine.