What are Functionalized CNTs?
Pristine nanotubes are unfortunately insoluble in many liquids such as water, polymer resins, and most solvents. Thus they are difficult to evenly disperse in a liquid matrix (for example, epoxies and other polymers). This complicates efforts to utilize the nanotubes outstanding physical properties in the manufacture of composite materials, as well as in other practical applications (biological, optical, magnetic, etc.) which require preparation of uniform mixtures of CNTs with many different organic, inorganic, and polymeric materials. To make nanotubes more easily dispersible in liquids, it is necessary to physically or chemically attach certain molecules (functional groups) to their smooth sidewalls without significantly changing the nanotubes desirable properties. This process is called functionalization. The production of robust composite materials requires strong covalent chemical bonding between the filler particles (CNTs) and the polymer matrix, rather than the much weaker van
