Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Hybrid Polyoxazoline-Grafted Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

The novel hybrid polyoxazoline-grafted multiwalled carbon nanotubes (POZO-grafted MWNTs) were synthesized by the reaction of partially hydrolyzed polyoxazolines (Hydrolyzed-POZO) and MWNTs having carboxylic acid groups (MWNT-COOH) in the presence of DCC as a condensing agent. Hydrolyzed-POZO (degree of hydrolysis, 20.2 mol % by H-1-NMR) were produced from the hydrolysis of polyoxazolines in an aqueous NaOH solution at reflux for 72 h. MWNT-COOH were prepared by acid treatment of pristine MWNTs. The composition, structure, thermal property, and surface morphology of the novel hybrid POZO-grafted MWNTs were fully characterized by FT-IR. Raman, H-1-NMR, DSC, TGA, SEM, and TEM. The obtained POZO-grafted MWNTs are well soluble in various organic solvents and water. It was observed that the glass transition temperature (T-g) of POZO-grafted MWNTs was lower than that of Hydrolyzed-POZO due to the absence of hydrogen bonding interactions between Hydrolyzed-POZO itself caused by the incorporation with MWNTs. It was also found that Hydrolyzed-POZO was homogeneously attached to the surfaces of MWNTs through the "grafting-to" method. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 116: 2937-2943, 2010