Functionalization of carbon nanofibres by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions and its effect on composite properties

Abstract The present paper reports the functionalization of carbon nanofibres through the reaction of 1,3-dipoles, generated by condensation of an α-amino acid and an aldehyde, with the CNF surface. The reaction was carried out in solvent and in dry conditions. The organic functionalization of the CNFs was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). These studies contributed to the understanding of the chemical functionalization processes, the identification of the synthetic conditions and the evaluation of the degree of functionalization of the carbon nanofibres. Composite samples were formed using polyamide 6 and CNFs, before and after functionalization under wet and dry conditions. The mechanical tests show that functionalization, under both conditions, plays an important role on the properties of the composites.