Polycarboxylation of carbon nanofibers under Friedel–Crafts condition: A simple route to direct binding of carboxylic functionalities to graphitic π-system

The functionalization of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with oxalyl chloride, via Friedel–Crafts reaction in the presence of aluminum chloride, was first demonstrated as an efficient way to introduce carboxyl groups onto the nanofiber sidewalls. Octa-aminophenylsilsesquioxane (OASQ) was then covalently attached to the carboxylated nanocarbon CNF–(COOH)n through amide linkage. Taking into account the nature of the electrophilic aromatic substitution, this chemical functionalization may involve formation of conjugated carboxylic acid moiety. Structural analysis combined with electron microscopy observation of the robust octasilsesquioxane species show that carboxyl groups are uniformly distributed on the nanofibers surface.