Synthesis and characterization of poly(3-hexylthiophene) modified single-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been extensively studied because of their unique electrical, mechanical, thermal, and optical properties. Their ability to reinforce existing polymeric materials as well as to induce elec-trical conductivity into polymers is very attractive. However, the nanotube aggregation due to strong van der Waals interactions between the sidewalls causes the problems of dispersion and stabilization of CNTs in many solvents and polymer matrices. This thesis deals with the synthesis and characterization of poly(3-Hexylthiophene) (P3HT) modified single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with the aim of increasing the dispersion of CNTs without loss of ex-cellent properties of nanotubes unlike other methods. Due to outstanding electronic and optical properties and its good solubility in common organic solvents, P3HT was chosen among many conjugated polymeric materials. 4- Propargyloxybenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate was synthesized and characterized by $ ^{1}H$ NMR spectroscopy. 4-Propargyloxybenzoyl group was linked to single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) surface (SWNT-I) which was synthesized by simple and facile radical reaction. Raman spectra show that the initiators are covalently bonded on the surface of SWNTs successfully. Thiol-yne click reaction was effectively carried out using the thiol-ended P3HT and the resulting SWNT-P3HT became soluble in tetrahydrofuran (THF)