Polyether from a biobased Janus molecule as surfactant for carbon nanotubes

• Published in: Express polymer letters Vol. 10; no. 7; pp. 548 - 558
• Main Authors: Barbera, V., Musto, S., Citterio, A., Conzatti, L., Galimberti, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Budapest Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Polymer Engineering 01-07-2016; Budapest University of Technology
• Subjects: Acetone; Adducts; Alcohol; Allotropy; Aromatic compounds; Carbon; Carbon Nanotubes; Efficiency; Ethyl acetate; Glycerol; Multi wall carbon nanotubes; Nanomaterials; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Oligomers; Polyether; Polymerization; Polymers; Potash; Potassium; Serinol; Solvents; Spectrum analysis; Surfactant; Surfactants; Transmission electron microscopy
• ISSN: 1788-618X; 1788-618X
• DOI: 10.3144/expresspolymlett.2016.52

A new polyether (PE) was prepared from a biobased Janus molecule, 2-(2,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)-1,3-propanediol (serinol pyrrole, SP). SP was synthesized with very high yield (about 96%) and high atom efficiency (about 80%) by reacting a biosourced molecule, such as serinol, with 2,5-hexanedione in the absence of solvent or catalyst. The reaction of SP with 1,6-dibromohexane led to PE oligomers, that were used as surfactants for multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), in ecofriendly polar solvents such as acetone and ethyl acetate. The synergic interaction of aromatic rings and oxyalkylene sequences with the carbon allotrope led to dramatic improvement of surfactant efficiency: only 24% of SP based PE was extracted with ethyl acetate from the adduct with MWCNT, versus 98% of a typical pluronic surfactant. Suspensions of MWCNT-PE adducts in ethyl acetate were stable for months. High resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed a film of oligomers tightly adhered to MWCNT surface.