Fabrication of carbon nanotubes/copper phthalocyanine composites with improved compatibility

Modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) bonded dodecyl chain and copper-tetra(4-dodecoxy-carboxyl)phthalocyanine (CuPcdc) were prepared respectively, resulting in improved solubility in organic solvents, good compatibility between these two compounds and film-forming characteristic. The novel composite of the modified MWCNTs/CuPcdc was prepared by the solution-blending method. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) showed the good compatibility between the modified MWCNTs and CuPcdc due to a stronger interaction between these two compounds, which is demonstrated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the composite and by comparing the UV–vis absorption spectrum of the composite with that of modified MWCNTs/copper phthalocyanine (CuPc)/polyvinylbutyral (PVB). The stronger interaction is favoring to the photoinduced charge transfer as demonstrated via the study of the photoconductivity of modified MWCNTs/CuPcdc composites.