Solid state self-assembly of the single-walled carbon nanotubes and poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate)s with different conformations

Abstract

A series of pyrenyl-terminated poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate)s (py-PBLGs) with controlled polymer molecular weight (MW = 2.3-14.8 kg mol -1) and molecular weight distribution (PDI = 1.17-1.55) have been prepared from 1-pyrenemethylamine hydrochloride-mediated ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of γ-benzyl-l-glutamic acid based N-carboxyanhydride (BLG-NCA). FTIR analysis revealed that the py-PBLG9 was conformationally heterogeneous with 35.0% α-helix, 55.6% β-sheet, and 9.4% random coil conformations in the solid state, whereas the py-PBLG 66 adopts 100% α-helix conformation. Py-PBLGs promote the dispersion of SWCNTs in organic solvents and in the PBLG solid through π-π interaction, as evidenced by the Raman spectroscopic studies. WAXD analysis revealed that the SWCNTs significantly affect the ordering of the py-PBLG self-assembly: the long range hexagonal packing of py-PBLG66 rods is notably enhanced by the addition of SWCNTs, whereas the lamellar packing of py-PGLG9 β-sheets is weakened. In the hexagonal lattice, the SWCNTs are intercalated parallel to the py-PBLG66 rods, in contrast to the normal orientation of the SWCNTs with respect to the extended py-PBLG9 chains in the β-sheets. The relative packing structure also affects the intermolecular interaction among the PBLGs: SWCNTs promote the interaction among the py-PBLG9 chains packed in a lamellar structure and weaken the intermolecular interaction among the py-PBLG66 columnar hexagonal array. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.