Synthesis and Characterization of Phenylene Diamine and Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) Coupled with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes by in Situ Oxidation Polymerization

In this study, an effective approach for preparation of functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) through grafting with PDA (phenylene diamine) and PMMA (poly methyl methacrylate) by in situ oxidation polymerization method was demonstrated successfully. To this purpose, first the carboxylated MWNCTs (MWNCTs–COOH) after treatment with pristine MWCNTs were obtained with a compound of 3:1 (v/v) HNO3 and H2SO4. Then, MCNTs-CO-NH-Ph by treated MWCNTs-COOH with aniline, DCC and DMAP were produced. Following that, ring of aniline was nitrated by means H2SO4 and HNO3. In order to synthesize MCNTs-PDA, nitro group was reduced to amine group with HCl in ethanol. Finally, MWCNTs-PDA was functionalized by in situ oxidation polymerization with PMMA to afford MWCNTs-g-(PDA-g-PMMA). The resulting of functionalized MWCNTs (Oxidation, decrease and coupling) were demonstrated by FT-IR spectroscopy and morphology attachment of PDA and PMMA onto MWCNTs surfaces was confirmed by SEM, TEM and AFM. Thermal particularities of grafted polymers onto MWCNTs surfaces were studied using TGA and DSC analysis. The prepared MWCNTs-g-(PDA-g-PMMA) can be used as an improvement for polymeric (nano-) composites owing to excellent properties of MWCNTs in addition their adaptability with polymeric materials after functionalization processes.