Multi-walled carbon nanotubes-g-[poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone)]: synthesis, characterization, and properties

This paper describes the synthesis, characterization, and material properties of multi-walled carbon nanotubes-g-[poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(e-caprolactone)] (MWCNTs-g-(PEG-b-PCL)). To aim this purpose, MWCNTs were carboxylated (MWCNTs-COOH) by conventional acid oxidation process, and then poly(ethylene glycol) chains were covalently attached to the carboxylated MWCNTs via a esterification reaction. Afterwards, poly(epsilon-caprolactone) block copolymerized from hydroxyl end groups of poly(ethylene glycol) chains via a ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) method to produce MWCNTs-g-(PEG-b-PCL) nano-hybrid. The chemical structures of all samples as representatives were characterized by means of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and their thermal behaviors, and morphologies were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), respectively. Moreover, the self-assembly behavior of the synthesized MWCNTs-g-(PEG-bPCL) was investigated by means of excitation-emission fluorescence spectroscopy (EEFS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements.