Dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes in water by the use of novel fluorinated dendrimer-type copolymers

New fluorinated dendrimer-type block copolymers were applied to the dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SW-CNTs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes containing carboxy groups [(SW-CNT)-COOH] in water. Fluorinated block copolymer could disperse SW-CNTs more effectively in water, compared to that of the corresponding ABA triblock-type fluoroalkyl end-capped dimethylacrylamide oligomer [RF-(DMAA)n-RF]. Dynamic light-scattering (DLS) measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images show that SW-CNTs could be smoothly encapsulated into fluorinated copolymeric aggregates cores. Interestingly, it was demonstrated that SW-CNTs could be in part released from the fluorinated copolymeric aggregates/SW-CNTs composites or encapsulated into these composites with increasing the dispersion times. On the other hand, fluorinated block copolymer and RF-(DMAA)n-RF oligomer were not able to disperse well (SW-CNT)-COOH in water; however, ABA triblock-type fluoroalkyl end-capped acrylic acid oligomer was able to disperse quite effectively (SW-CNT)-COOH in water.