Covalent Functionalization of HiPco Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: Differences in the Oxidizing Action of H2SO4 and HNO3 during a Soft Oxidation Process

Xavier Devaux (1) , Brigitte Vigolo (1) , Edward Mcrae (1) , Fabrice Valsaque (1) , Naoual Allali (2, 3, 4) , Victor Mamane (2, 5) , Yves Fort (2) , Alexander V. Soldatov (3, 6) , M. Dossot (4) , Svetlana Yu. Tsareva (1)

1 IJL - Institut Jean Lamour
2 SRSMC - Structure et Réactivité des Systèmes Moléculaires Complexes
3 LUT - Luleå University of Technology = Luleå Tekniska Universitet
4 LCPME - Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Microbiologie pour l'Environnement
5 Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg
6 Harvard University

The results of a study on the evolution of HiPco single-walled carbon nanotubes during the oxidizing action of H2SO4 and HNO3 are presented. The process conditions used have been chosen so as to avoid any significant damage to the nanotube structure. The type and level of functionalization, the location of the grafted functions on the surface of the nanotube and the changes in morphological characteristics of the samples were examined by using a wide and complementary range of analytical techniques. We propose an explanation for the differences in the oxidizing action of sulfuric and nitric acids. The combined results allow us to suggest possible reaction mechanisms that occur on the surface of the nanotube.

Mots clés: single-walled carbon nanotubes; covalent functionalization; oxygen-containing functional groups; chlorination; surface reaction mechanisms

Domaines: Science des matériaux [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]

Xavier Devaux, Brigitte Vigolo, Edward Mcrae, Fabrice Valsaque, Naoual Allali, et al.. Covalent Functionalization of HiPco Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: Differences in the Oxidizing Action of H2SO4 and HNO3 during a Soft Oxidation Process. ChemPhysChem, 2015, 16 (12), pp.2692-2701. ⟨10.1002/cphc.201500248⟩. ⟨hal-01284344⟩