Novel method for dispersion of multiwall carbon nanotubes in poly(ethylene oxide) matrix using dicarboxylic acid salts

A simple and novel aqueous method was elaborated to disperse multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) in a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) matrix using the sodium salts of suberic acid (half and fully neutralized versions, HNSA and FNSA, respectively) as the modifiers. The incorporation of HNSA significantly improved the dispersion of MWCNT in PEO as reflected in a significant increase in melt viscosity and storage modulus in rheological measurements and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, respectively. FNSA was proved to be the less efficient in this respect. This was explained in terms of cation‐Π (between FNSA, HNSA, and electron cloud of the CNT) and H‐bonding interactions (between HNSA and PEO) in accordance with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic results. The dielectric and crystallization behaviors of the PEO/MWCNT/salt systems were studied and discussed, as well. The advantage of this method, applicable for water soluble polymers, is that it does not fully destroy the Π electron cloud of CNT opposed to chemical functionalization techniques. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 1156–1165, 2009