Functionalization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes with polystyrene under atom transfer radical polymerization conditions Original Research Article

Linear Polystyrene (PS) was grafted onto the convex surfaces of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Bromine-terminated polystyrene synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was directly reacted with MWCNTs under ATRP conditions using CuBr/2,2′-bipyridine as catalyst. The PS-grafted MWCNT samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, FT-IR spectra, Raman spectra, 1H NMR, UV–vis spectra, thermal gravimetric analyses, and X-ray diffraction. The products can dissolve in organic solvents such as 1,2-dichlorobenzene, tetrahydrofuran and chloroform to form well-dispersed solutions. Optical limiting property measurements in chloroform were carried out at 532 nm using the open-aperture z-scan technique. The results demonstrate that the samples preserve good optical limiting properties when the polymer is covalently attached to the carbon nanotube.