Preparation of a Novel CO2-Responsive Polymer/Multiwall Carbon Nanotube Composite

Yonggang Ma,Xin Chen,Wenting Lu,Dehui Han,Zhe Zhao

doi:10.3390/pr9091638

Abstract

A CO2-responsive composite of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) coated with polydopamine (PDA) and polydimethylamino-ethyl methacrylate (PDMAEMA) was prepared. The PDA was first self-polymerized on the surface of carbon nanotube. 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide (BiBB) was then immobilized by PDA and then initiated the ATRP of DMAEMA on the carbon nanotube surface. The resulting composite was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The CO2-responsive test was performed by bubbling CO2 into the mixture of MWCNT-PDA-PDMAEMA composite in water. A well-dispersed solution was obtained and the UV-Vis transmittance decreased dramatically. This is attributed to the reaction between PDMAEMA and CO2. The formation of ammonium bicarbonates on the surface of carbon nanotubes leads to the separation of nanotube bundles. This process can be reversed as the removal of CO2 by bubbling N2.

Highlights

Switchable systems are of great interest for green chemistry research and triggers such as temperature, light, voltage, acids, bases, oxidants or reductants are limited by their cost and environmental concern [1]
We report the preparation of a CO2-responsive composite, which is multiwall carbon nanotubes coated with PDA and polydimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (PDMAEMA)
The electrostatic repulsion causes the separation of the carbon nanotube bundle and the composite becomes well dispersed

Summary

Introduction

Switchable systems are of great interest for green chemistry research and triggers such as temperature, light, voltage, acids, bases, oxidants or reductants are limited by their cost and environmental concern [1]. CO2, is abundant, inexpensive, stable and non-toxic to the reaction materials, which makes it an appropriate trigger for switchable systems [2]. The first switchable-polarity solvent (SPS) was prepared by Jessop and coworkers, using amidine/alcohol or guanidine/alcohol mixtures [3]. A variety of different SPS systems have been developed for the application of reaction media [4,5], extraction media [6,7], CO2 detection [8], and CO2 capture [9,10,11,12,13,14]. Scientists have developed switchable surfactants, solutes, as well as catalysts for different applications [17,18,19]

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