Surface properties of oxidized and aminated multi-walled carbon nanotubes

The influence of chemical modification by acid treatment followed by triethylenetetramine (TETA) functionalization on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) was evaluated, both qualitative and quantitatively. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that, in the case of amine-functionalized nanotubes, 29% of mass loss can be attributed to -C(=O)TETA and residual oxygen-containing functional groups. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to observe the oxygenated and aminated functions covalently linked to the nanotube surface. Electric force microscopy (EFM) images indicated that the nanotubes with diverse surface chemistry showed distinct responses to the tip potential in the presence of air. Shifts in EFM phase images decreased when the nanotube surface was modified with oxygen and amine-containing functional groups. In dry and inert N2 atmosphere, however, the three different surfaces showed the same response to EFM. In addition, the hydrophilic character of the buckypapers increased in the order MWCNT < aminated-MWCNT < oxidized-MWCNT.