A series of novel high‐temperature‐resistant multiwall carbon nanotubes dispersants: Polyphenylene sulfones with pyrene groups in main chain

Abstract

A series of polyphenylene sulfones were synthesized with pyrene groups in the main chain. Using a traditional Suzuki coupling reaction followed by a reduction, the pyrene-containing monomer was synthesized as the diphenol. A series of copolymers were synthesized using this new monomer, a biphenyldiphenol, and 4,4 0 -difluorodiphenylsulfone. These polymers were characterized using 1 HNMR and FTIR spectroscopy. The introduction of rigid pyrene groups provided these new polymers with good thermal stability and mechanical strength. In this work, these polymers are shown to functionalize and disperse multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The associations of our copolymers to the MWCNTs appear to operate through pi stacking interactions between the pyrene group and the sidewalls of the MWCNTs, referred to in this article as f-MWCNTs. The dispersibility of f-MWCNTs in solvents and polymer matrixes was systematically studied by preparation of f-MWCNTs/polyphenylene sulfone (PPSU) composites with various f-MWCNTs content. Improvements in the dispersability of f-MWCNTs in PPSU resin result in enhancement of the mechanical and thermal properties of f-MWCNTs/PPSU composites.In this study, polymeric dispersing agents are preferred to small molecule dispersants for modifying the MWCNTs by the noncovalent associations. Polymeric dispersants can provide multiple associations Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online version of this article.

Recent Advances in Dispersant Technology for Carbon Nanotubes toward Energy Device Applications

“…The highest MWCNTs concentration in NMP was 0.700 mg mL −1 using PPSU with 20% pyrene groups. [ 175 ] Table 6 summarizes some recent CNT dispersants used in organic solvents.…”