Study into the attachment of small and large silanes to carbon nanotube via click chemistry

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and other low molecular weight were functionalized with an alkyne group via an urethane bond in an attempt to attach to various azide-functionalized silanes, including polyhedral oligomeric silesquioxane (POSS), via the Cu (I)-catalysed [3+2] Huisgen cycloaddition “click” reaction. FTIR spectroscopy and NMR analysis were utilized to follow the introduction of the alkyne-and azide-groups onto their respective particles, as well as their consumption in the final POSS-MWCNT nanohybrid product. This approach provides a simple and convenient route to effectively functionalize not just silanes and POSS, but also a wide variety of nanoparticles, onto the surface of CNTs.