Characterization of amine-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotube-low symmetry phthalocyanine conjugates

Functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with amine groups using a previously developed diazonium approach, followed by reaction with a carboxylic acid moiety allows direct attachment by an amide bond. We have developed a new SWCNT-low symmetry phthalocyanine conjugate using this approach, using dicyclohexylcarbodiimide as an activating agent to facilitate formation of an amide bond to give a covalently linked conjugate. A conjugate formed by non-covalent attachment has been used for a comparative investigation by FT-IR, Raman, and UV-Vis spectroscopies, and thermal gravimetric analysis. The fluorescence of the phthalocyanine is quenched in the conjugate. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.