The preparation of highly water-soluble multi-walled carbon nanotubes by irreversible noncovalent functionalization with a pyrene-carrying polymer.

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) have been solubilized in water via a noncovalent method of exfoliation and centrifugation cycles with the assistance of hydrolyzed poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) carrying pyrene (HPSMAP). After the obtained solution was micro-filtered and dried, a water-soluble complex of HPSMAP-MWNTs was obtained. The solubility of HPSMAP-MWNTs was measured to be 46.2 mg ml(-1) with a net MWNT concentration of 7.4 mg ml(-1) in water. Thermal gravimetric analyses showed that there was a large amount of polymer remaining on the surface of MWNTs irreversibly after thoroughly removing the free polymer. Other characterizations using transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, fluorescence spectra, and fluorescence decay were conducted.