In situ grafting of carboxylic acid-terminated hyperbranched poly(ether-ketone) to the surface of carbon nanotubes

Carboxylic acid-terminated hyperbranched poly(ether-ketone)s (HPEKs) were successfully grafted onto the surfaces of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) to afford HPEK-g-SWNT and HPEK-g-MWNT nanocomposites. They were prepared via in situ polymerization of 5-phenoxyisophthalic acid as an AB₂ monomer for the HPEK in the presence of SWNT or MWNT in polyphosphoric acid (PPA)/phosphorous pentoxide (P₂O₅) medium. The resultant nanocomposites were homogeneously dispersed in various common polar aprotic solvents as well as in concentrated ammonium hydroxide. The experimental results from Soxhlet extraction, solubility enhancement, elemental analysis (EA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) provided clear evidences for grafting of hyperbranched polymers onto the surfaces of corresponding CNT's. Achieving enhanced solubility of CNT's in common organic solvents via the functionalization of CNT's is a key step for CNT's to be used in various application-specific purposes. The results could potentially envision to the area of CNT researches via the efficient introduction of three-dimensional globular dendritic macromolecules as increasing solubility, available multi-functionality, reactivity, processability, and also biocompatibility.