Reversible dispersion and releasing of single-walled carbon nanotubes by stimuli-responsive TTFV-Phenylacetylene Polymers and their derivatives

Liang, Shuai (2012) Reversible dispersion and releasing of single-walled carbon nanotubes by stimuli-responsive TTFV-Phenylacetylene Polymers and their derivatives. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[English] PDF (Migrated (PDF/A Conversion) from original format: (application/pdf)) - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Download (35MB) [English] PDF - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. (Original Version)

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have drawn considerable research attention owing to their unique properties and wide spectrum of applications in materials science. However, most applications of carbon nanotubes are still in preliminary stages due to the poor processibility of CNTs (e.g., low solubility and strong aggregation). To overcome this barrier, a class of tetrathiafulvalene vinylogues (TTFY) and phenylacetylene based conjugated polymers were designed and investigated. The polymer backbone can reversibly fold and unfold under the control of redox and acid/base stimuli. This conformational switching property has allowed the polymer to reversibly disperse and release single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in organic solvents in a controlled manner, which in turn opens a new avenue for recyclable and non-destructive SWNT processing techniques. In addition, a series of TTFY polymers with various side chains were synthesized for comparative studies to understand the effect of polymer structure on the supramolecular interaction with SWNTs.

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