Home > NANO-RESEARCH > Vol. 3 (2010) > No. 2

Article Title
Radical addition of perfluorinated alkyl iodides to multi-layered graphene and single-walled carbon nanotubes
Keywords
Nanotube, single-walled carbon nanotube, graphene, radical addition
Abstract
A simple one-pot reaction that serves to functionalize graphite nanosheets (graphene) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with perfluorinated alkyl groups is reported. Free radical addition of 1-iodo-1H,1H,2H, 2H-perfluorododecane to ortho-dichlorobenzene suspensions of the carbon nanomaterial is initiated by thermal decomposition of benzoyl peroxide. Similarly, UV photolysis of 1-iodo-perfluorodecane serves to functionalize the carbon materials. Perfluorododecyl-SWNTs, perfluorododecyl-graphene, and perfluorodecyl-graphene are characterized by infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The products show enhanced dispersability in CHCl3 as compared to unfunctionalized starting materials. The advantage of this one-pot functionalization procedure lies in the use of pristine graphite as starting material thereby avoiding the use of harsh oxidizing conditions.
Graphical Abstract
Publisher
Tsinghua University Press
Recommended Citation
Christopher E. Hamilton,Jay R. Lomeda,Zhengzong Sun,James M. Tour,Andrew R. Barron, Radical addition of perfluorinated alkyl iodides to multi-layered graphene and single-walled carbon nanotubes. NanoRes.2010, 3: 138–145