Surface functionalized carbon nanostructured articles and process thereof

Abstract

Carbon nanostructures ( 21 ) are surface modified by adding pendant alcohol groups ( 25 ) capable of chemical reaction. Poly(vinyl alcohol) ( 23 ) is disposed on the surface of the carbon such that it renders the carbon nanostructure capable of forming a substantially uniform stable dispersion in water.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A surface functionalized carbon microstructure having pendant alcohol groups, comprising: 
 a carbon microstructure, selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, activated carbon, and fullerene;    a surface functionalized moiety disposed on the surface of the carbon microstructure sufficient to cause the surface functionalized carbon microstructure to be substantially soluble in water.    
     
     
         2 . The surface functionalized carbon microstructure as described in  claim 1 , wherein said surface functionalized moiety is noncovalently bonded to the carbon microstructure.  
     
     
         3 . The surface functionalized carbon microstructure as described in  claim 1 , wherein said surface functionalized moiety contains pendant alcohol groups capable of chemical reaction.  
     
     
         4 . The surface functionalized carbon microstructure as described in  claim 3 , wherein said surface functionalized moiety is poly(vinyl alcohol).  
     
     
         5 . The surface functionalized carbon microstructure as described in  claim 1 , wherein said noncovalently bonded poly(vinyl alcohol) is further reactive with one or more members selected from the group consisting of hydrogen halides, phosphorous trihalides, mineral acids, organic acids, sodium, potassium, magnesium, aluminum, thionyl chloride, octadecylamine, poly(propionylethylenimine-co-ethylenimine), glucose amine, gum Arabic, metal-containing complexes, silanes, hydrates, borates, epichlorohydrin, 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether, periodates, glutaraldehyde, 1,1-carbonyldi-imidazole, 1,1-carbonyldi-imidazole, 2,2,2-trifluethanesulphonyl chloride, 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine, p-b-sulphate-(ethyl sulphonide)-aniline, 4-dimethoxymethyl-N-(1-pyridinio)benzamidate, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, (2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)dimethylsulfonium triflate, inositol, sucrose, resorcinol, and pyrogallol.  
     
     
         6 . A surface functionalized carbon nanostructure having pendant alcohol groups capable of chemical reaction, comprising: 
 a carbon nanostructure, selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, activated carbon, and fullerene;    poly(vinyl alcohol) noncovalently bonded to the carbon nanostructure; and    wherein said surface functionalized carbon nanostructure forms a substantially uniform stable dispersion in water.    
     
     
         7 . The surface functionalized carbon nanostructure as described in  claim 6 , wherein said noncovalently bonded poly(vinyl alcohol) is further reactive with one or more members selected from the group consisting of hydrogen halides, phosphorous trihalides, mineral acids, organic acids, sodium, potassium, magnesium, aluminum, thionyl chloride, octadecylamine, poly(propionylethylenimine-co-ethylenimine), glucose amine, gum Arabic, metal-containing complexes, silanes, hydrates, borates, epichlorohydrin, 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether, periodates, glutaraldehyde, 1,1-carbonyldi-imidazole, 1,1-carbonyldi-imidazole, 2,2,2-trifluethanesulphonyl chloride, 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine, p-b-sulphate-(ethyl sulphonide)-aniline, 4-dimethoxymethyl-N-(1-pyridinio)benzamidate, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, (2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)dimethylsulfonium triflate, inositol, sucrose, resorcinol, and pyrogallol.  
     
     
         8 . A surface functionalized carbon nanostructure intermediate, comprising: 
 a carbon nanostructure having poly(vinyl alcohol) noncovalently bonded thereto to render said surface functionalized carbon nanostructure substantially miscible with water.    
     
     
         9 . The surface functionalized carbon nanostructure as described in  claim 8 , wherein said carbon nanostructure is one or more carbon nanostructures selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, activated carbon, and fullerene.  
     
     
         10 . The surface functionalized carbon nanostructure as described in  claim 8 , wherein said noncovalently bonded poly(vinyl alcohol) is reactive to form additional compounds with one or more members selected from the group consisting of hydrogen halides, phosphorous trihalides, mineral acids, organic acids, sodium, potassium, magnesium, aluminum, thionyl chloride, octadecylamine, poly(propionylethylenimine-co-ethylenimine), glucose amine, gum Arabic, metal-containing complexes, silanes, hydrates, borates, epichlorohydrin, 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether, periodates, glutaraldehyde, 1,1-carbonyldi-imidazole, 1,1-carbonyldi-imidazole, 2,2,2-trifluethanesulphonyl chloride, 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine, p-b-sulphate-(ethyl sulphonide)-aniline, 4-dimethoxymethyl-N-(1-pyridinio)benzamidate, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, (2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)dimethylsulfonium triflate, inositol, sucrose, resorcinol, and pyrogallol.  
     
     
         11 . A method of creating a surface functionalized carbon nanostructure, comprising dissolving poly(vinyl alcohol) in heated water to form a poly(vinyl alcohol) solution, and adding carbon nanostructure to the heated poly(vinyl alcohol) solution to form a surface functionalized carbon nanostructure that forms a substantially uniform stable dispersion in water.