Many applications of carbon nanotubes require their chemical functionalization. Both covalent and supramolecular approaches have been extensively investigated. A less trodden path is the combination of both covalent and noncovalent chemistries, where the formation of covalent bonds triggers a particularly stable noncovalent interaction with the nanotubes. We describe a series of naphthalene dii...

As the cylindrical sp(2)-bonded carbon allotrope, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely used to reinforce bulk materials such as polymers, ceramics, and metals. However, both the concept demonstration and the fundamental understanding on how 1D CNTs reinforce atomically thin 2D layered materials, such as graphene, are still absent. Here, we demonstrate the successful synthesis of CNT-toughen...

Mechanically excellent native cellulose nanofibers that are cleaved from plant cell walls have been modified by functionalized few-walled carbon nanotubes for hybrid nanofiber/nanotube aerogels. They show elastic mechanical behavior in combination with reversible electrical response under compression allowing responsive conductivity and pressure sensing. The concept combines wide availability o...

We have used temperature-dependent single molecule force spectroscopy to stretch covalently anchored carboxymethylated amylose (CMA) polymers attached to an amino-functionalized AFM cantilever. Using an Arrhenius kinetics model based on a Morse potential as a one-dimensional representation of covalent bonds, we have extracted kinetic and structural parameters of the bond rupture process. With 3...

A novel Nafion®-based nanocomposite membrane was synthesized to be applied as direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were coated with a layer of silica and then reacted by chlorosulfonic acid to produce sulfonate-functionalized silicon dioxide coated carbon nanotubes (CNT@SiO2-SO3H). The functionalized CNTs were then introduced to Nafion®, and subsequently, methanol permeab...

The primary objective of this paper is to enhance the water-vapor-adsorption capacity of multiwall-carbon-nanotube (MWCNT) from nitrogen gas by grafting sulfonic acid groups and doping palladium nanoparticles into the adsorbent. MWCNT has been selected to be modified because of having homogeneous adsorption energy compared to silica gel. As a result, it is capable of creating isotherm having sh...

Organic/inorganic matrix nanocomposites have been created using an acid catalyzed, tetraethyl orthosilicate-based sol–gel technique with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). By utilizing nanotubes functionalized with the dendron methyl 3,5-di(methyltrigycoloxy)benzylic alcohol (IPEG), ultrasonic blending in the sol phase prior to gelation yields excellent dispersion characteristics of the na...

Vibrational properties of composites based on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and conducting polymers of the type polyaniline (PANI) and poly (3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) are reported. For PANI-functionalized SWNTs, the intensity increase of the Raman band at 178 cm-1 , associated with radial breathing modes of SWNTs bundles, indicates an additional roping of nanotubes due to th...

The creep and dynamic mechanical behavior of natural fiber/epoxy composites using functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) modified matrix were investigated. 0.4 wt% of MWCNTs functionalized with carboxylic acid groups (MWCNTs-COOH) were dispersed in epoxy and three-phase multiscale hybrid composites were processed by hot press. Natural fiber/epoxy two-phase composites without MWCNT...

We demonstrate irreversible blocking of ion channels using single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) functionalized with 2-aminoethylmethane thiosulfonate (MTSET). In contrast, as-produced and purified SWNTs exhibit reversible blocking, indicating that the MTSET molecule attached to SWNTs chemically interacts with the cysteine groups in the ion channels. Functionalization of SWNTs with MTSET is infe...