Functionalization of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes with Well-Defined Polymers by Radical Coupling

Polystyrene and poly[(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-styrene] with well-defined molecular weights and polydispersities were prepared by nitroxide-mediated free-radical polymerization. The homopolymers and block copolymers were used to functionalize shortened single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) through a radical coupling reaction involving polymer-centered radicals generated at 125 °C via loss of the stable free-radical nitroxide capping agent. The …