Optimum Conditions For Introducing Free Radical Polymerizable Methacrylate Groups On The Mwcnt Surface By Michael Addition Reaction

In this study, we investigated optimum conditions for the introduction of a lot of free radical polymerizable methacrylate groups on the multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) surface. Carboxyl groups were introduced first on MWCNT surfaces by treating with a mixture of sulfuric acid and nitric acid with ultrasonic bath for 2 hours, and oxidized MWCNTs were reacted further with thionyl chloride followed by triethylenetetramine (TETA) to introduce amino groups on the oxidized MWCNT surface, to make MWCNT-NH2. To introduce free radical polymerizable methacrylate groups on the MWCNT-NH2, MWCNT-NH2 was reacted with 3-(acryloyloxy)-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (AHM) by Michael addition reaction. We investigated progress of modification reactions for MWCNT by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and elemental analysis (EA). We found maximum degree of Michael addition reactions between AHM and TETA grafted on MWCNT-NH2 for 10: 1 mol ratio and 8 hour reaction time in our reaction conditions.