Soft matter nanocomposites by grafting a versatile organogelator to carbon nanostructures

The organic functionalization of either [60] fullerene or MWCNTs with a highly efficient organogelator has allowed the production of novel and homogeneously dispersed soft-nanocomposites. While the nanostructured carbon materials produced by simple mixing do not homogeneously disperse into a preformed gel, C-60- and MWCNT-containing gels have been conveniently obtained by covalent functionalization of the carbon lattice with reactive organogelator derivatives. The present study, while emphasizing the gelling properties of a selected class of organogelators, allows the conjugation of the properties of gels and nanostructured carbon materials yielding novel soft-nanocomposites.