Functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and its application in preparing the 3D graphene/carbon nanotubes hybrid architectures

Abstract

ABSTRACTA facile strategy for the preparation of water-dispersible multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in aqueous solution for the preparation of the three-dimensional (3D) graphene/carbon nanotube (G/CNT) hybrid architectures is proposed, where MWCNTs were functionalized by simultaneous radiation-induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid under the γ-ray (denoted as MWCNT-g-PAA) for improving its dispersibility. The stability of the aqueous solution of MWCNT-g-PAA in water is highly improved. We also use the MWCNT-g-PAA fabricating three-dimensional cylindrical graphene/carbon nanotube (G/CNT) hybrid architectures by a simple one-step hydrothermal process. We found that the as-prepared MWCNTs-g-PAA showed a very good dispersibility in GO solution with different concentration ratio and a promising precursor for preparing the graphene/CNT hybrid materials.