Dispersing Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Water by Adsorption of Polyphenols

Abstract

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were dispersed in water with the assistance of polyphenols (resorcinol and pyrogallol). SWCNTs have intrinsic tendency to adsorb aromatic compounds due to π-π dispersion interactions, which leads to SWCNTs noncovalently dispersed in water by adsorption of resorcinol or pyrogallol. The concentration of SWCNT suspension was determined by the absorbance value at 500 nm using UV-Vis spectrometer. The effects of polyphenol concentration and ultrasonication time on the dispersion state have been investigated. Resorcinol of 0.5 mg/mL was found to be most effective for solubilizing SWCNTs in water. Over 60 % of SWCNTs were well dispersed with ultrasonication time for 4 hours. However, SWCNTs were cut shorter and damages could be introduced with prolonged ultrasonication time. TEM images showed that SWCNT bundles became thinner with the presence of polyphenols. These aromatic compounds provide an effective way to disperse SWCNTs in water and might have potential application in nanocomposite preparation.