A influência de modificação química (por tratamento ácido seguido de funcionalização com trietilenotetramina, TETA) sobre a superfície de nanotubos de carbono de paredes múltiplas (MWCNT) foi estudada qualitativa e quantitativamente. A análise termogravimétrica (TGA) mostrou que, no caso do nanotubo funcionalizado com amina, 29% de perda de massa pode ser atribuída a -C(=O)TETA e grupos funcionais residuais que contêm oxigênio. A espectroscopia de fotoelétrons excitados por raios X (XPS) foi utilizada para observar as funções aminadas e oxigenadas ligadas covalentemente à superfície do nanotubo. As imagens de microscopia de força elétrica (EFM) indicaram que, à medida que se modifica a química superficial dos nanotubos em presença de ar, estes mostram respostas diferentes em função do potencial da ponta. Deslocamentos nos sinais de fase de EFM decrescem quando se modifica a superfície dos tubos com grupos funcionais contendo oxigênio e amina. Em atmosfera seca e inerte de N 2 , as três diferentes superfícies mostraram a mesma resposta à EFM. Além disso, o caráter hidrofílico dos "buckypapers" cresceu na ordem MWCNT < MWCNT-aminado < MWCNT-oxidado.The influence of chemical modification by acid treatment followed by triethylenetetramine (TETA) functionalization on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) was evaluated, both qualitative and quantitatively. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that, in the case of amine-functionalized nanotubes, 29% of mass loss can be attributed to -C(=O)TETA and residual oxygen-containing functional groups. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to observe the oxygenated and aminated functions covalently linked to the nanotube surface. Electric force microscopy (EFM) images indicated that the nanotubes with diverse surface chemistry showed distinct responses to the tip potential in the presence of air. Shifts in EFM phase images decreased when the nanotube surface was modified with oxygen and amine-containing functional groups. In dry and inert N 2 atmosphere, however, the three different surfaces showed the same response to EFM. In addition, the hydrophilic character of the buckypapers increased in the order MWCNT < aminated-MWCNT < oxidized-MWCNT.Keywords: multi-walled carbon nanotubes, triethylenetetramine, surface chemical modification, spectroscopic characterization, electric force microscopy
IntroductionAn important historical reference about carbon nanotube (CNT) synthesis is the work of Oberlin et al. in 1976. 1 However, it was not until Iijima's work, in 1991, 2 that CNTs emerged as a key material in the field of nanotechnology due to their extraordinary thermal, electrical and mechanical properties.2-4 However, low dispersibility in organic and inorganic solvents, combined with poor chemical compatibility, has become a major issue. 5,6 Functionalization or chemical modification of CNT, that is, the covalent attachment of atoms or molecules to the surface, has been used to introduce chemical specificity and processability in different environments...