Title: Effect of functionalisation of MWCNTs on optical and morphological properties of MEH-PPV/MWCNTs nanocomposites

Authors: N. Chehata; A. Ltaief; A. Farzi; B. Ilahi; A. Bouazizi

Addresses: Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences of Monastir, Boulevard de l'Environnement, Monastir, Tunisia ' Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences of Monastir, Boulevard de l'Environnement, Monastir, Tunisia ' Department of Material and Polymer Engineering, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran ' Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences of Monastir, Boulevard de l'Environnement, Monastir, Tunisia ' Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences of Monastir, Boulevard de l'Environnement, Monastir, Tunisia

Abstract: The effect of functionalisation of Multi-Walled CNTs (MWCNTs) as a way to ameliorate their dispersion has been quantified. Two kinds of nanocomposites have been elaborated, using a spin-coating as deposition technique: poly (2-methoxy-5-(2-ethyhexyl-oxy)-p-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV) as an electron donor, pristine MWCNTs and polystyrene-functionalised MWCNTs (PS:MWCNTs) as electron acceptors. MEH-PPV/MWCNTs and MEH-PPV/PS:MWCNTs nanocomposites are characterised by photoluminescence spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy to study the charge transfer efficiency and morphological properties of these structures. An efficient charge transfer in MEH-PPV/MWCNTs and MEH-PPV/PS:MWCNT nanocomposites has taken place, but is broken when reaching a critical concentration of 0.5 and 1 wt.%, respectively. Once these critical concentrations are reached and supported by AFM images, aggregates of MWCNTs and PS:MWCNTs have been observed.

Keywords: conjugated polymers; functionalised CNTs; mutli-walled CNTs; MWCNTs; carbon nanotubes; nanocomposites; charge transfer; critical concentration; nanotechnology; morphology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2013.053526

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2013 Vol.10 No.5/6/7, pp.577 - 586

Published online: 27 Apr 2013 *

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