Effective in situ synthesis and characteristics of polystyrene nanoparticle‐covered multiwall carbon nanotube composite

Abstract

The higher surface area of selectively grown multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and the better proximity of the reactant species in in situ microemulsion polymerization were used to attach the polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles to the outer wall of MWCNTs. Attachment were achieved by replacing surfactant with PS nanoparticles. SEM showed that the MWCNTs and PS nanoparticles were distributed in the composite. High resolution transmission electron microscopy showed successful anchoring of PS nanoparticles to the outer wall of the MWCNTs. In addition, anchoring enhanced the Raman's G/D ratio of the MWCNT and degradation temperature in PS nanoparticles. A mechanism of attachment of PS nanoparticles on the outer wall of MWCNT was proposed. The modified MWCNTs exhibited good durability and dispersability in different organic solvents. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 1523–1529, 2009

A facile approach to the fabrication of graphene/polystyrene nanocomposite by in situ microemulsion polymerization

“…In our previous work we presented effective in situ synthesis and characteristics of polystyrene nanoparticle covered multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composite by microemulsion polymerization [20]. This paper reports the use of microemulsion polymerization to functionalize graphene sheets by PS nanoparticles.…”

“…This paper reports the use of microemulsion polymerization to functionalize graphene sheets by PS nanoparticles. This polymerization method has some merit over other emulsion methods because it produces thermodynamically stable polymer particles tens of nm in size, and uses the advantage of surfactants through polymerization [20][21][22]. The higher surface area in graphene and in situ microemulsion enhances the anchoring of PS nanoparticles on graphene through p-p interactions.…”

Fabrication of polystyrene/multiwalled carbon nanotube composite films synthesized by in situ microemulsion polymerization

“…Figure 7a shows the glass transition temperature (T g ), which defines the pseudosecond-order phase transition. The grafting of PS nanoparticles on the outer wall of the MWCNT resulted in an increase in T g [17]. The T g of the pristine PS nanoparticles and 10 wt% nanocomposite was observed at 968C and 1108C, respectively.…”

“…In a previous report, we have shown the attachment of PS nanoparticles to the MWCNTs and graphene, in which we have shown that in the emulsion process, Brownian motion of emulsified monomer droplets and MWCNTs or graphene inside the water causes collisions between these two species, which further provides anchoring sites for the juvenile PS nanoparticles on the MWCNT or graphene surface [17][18][19]. The anchoring of PS to the MWCNT occurred through p-p stacking.…”

“…PS/MWCNT nanocomposites were synthesized by microemulsion polymerization, as reported elsewhere [17]. Briefly, before polymerization, the MWCNTs were purified by a thermal treatment at 3008C for 1 h in air to remove the amorphous carbon.…”