Coating of multiwalled carbon nanotubes with crosslinked silicon-containing polymer

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) based hybrid nanomaterials, MWNTs coated with crosslinked poly(3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate) (PTMSPMA), was synthesized via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) followed by hydrolysis and polycondensation. TGA traces showed that the thermal stability of the embedded MWNTs in crosslinked PTMSPMA was greatly improved compared with theirs precursor. FTIR characterization of the resulting hybrids exhibited the corresponding functionalities on the spectra. TEM images showed clearly the polymer shell enwrapped MWNTs, and EDX spectra revealed the weight loss of carbon and oxygen relative to silicon due to the hydrolysis and polycondensation. Moreover, coexistence of single core-shell shape nanowire protruded through the polymer overlayer and bulk polymer/nanotubes phase was conformed by ESEM observation.