Topic > What are carbon nanotubes? - 714

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have exhibited exceptional structural, electrical, mechanical and thermal properties.1-3 CNT-based nanocomposites possess unique property combinations and have been extensively studied for various technological applications such as actuators,4, 5 body armor,6 conductive tapes,7 flame retardants,8 energy storage,9 tissue engineering,10, 11 delivery devices,12, 13 biosensors,14-16 and biomedical devices.17-19 Despite the interesting physical and chemical properties, the true potential of CNT-based nanocomposites has not been reached.20-22 This is due to the strong π-π stacking interactions between CNTs that limit the dispersion of CNTs within the polymer matrix and decrease its ability to improve the structural, chemical and biological properties of network nanocomposites. To overcome this shortcoming, numerous techniques are used to increase the dispersion of CNTs within the polymer network such as surface functionalization.23-26 The surface of CNTs is modified with different polar groups including carboxyl, 27 hydroxyl, 28 and amine, 29 to facilitate uniform distribution within the polymer matrix. Other strategies to improve the solubility of CNTs in aqueous and nonaqueous solutions include the use of surfactants,30 proteins,31 and single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (ssDNA)32. Uniform dispersion of CNTs within the polymer network results in improved surface interactions and significant increases in stiffness of the nanocomposites.33 Grafting polymer chains onto nanotube surfaces can modify the surface of the CNTs.34 In this approach, the chains polymers protect the surface of the CNTs and the adjacent polymer network simply recognizes the polymer grafted onto the surface. This screening method improves the distribution of CNTs within the erosion mechanism of the paper half and can be adapted to follow the biosynthesis of ECM without showing any sudden change in structural, physical and chemical properties.40 Here, we developed PGS-chemically cross-linked carbon nanotubes (PGS-CNT) nanocomposites. The presence of additional hydroxyl groups on the PGS backbone esterifies with the carboxyl groups present on the CNT surfaces during the thermal polymerization process, which represents an advantage over other polyester-based nanocomposites. The chemical conjugation of CNTs with the polyester backbone significantly improves the physical and chemical properties of the nanocomposites. By covalently conjugating PGS with CNTs, we expect to obtain mechanically rigid nanocomposites that can be used for a number of biomedical applications, including as bone scaffolds, cardiac patches, nerve conduits, as well as for a number of other biomedical devices.