Electrochemical Functionalization of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Films Obtained by Electrophoretic Deposition

Abstract

In this paper, we report an electrode coated with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) thin-film prepared by the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) technique. SWCNTs electrodes are fabricated on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates using a mixture of CNTs and a cationic detergent tetraoctylammonium bromide (TOAB) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) by applying a negative voltage to the ITO glass plate. The functionalization of these nanotubes is then achieved via electrochemical reduction of aryl diazonium salts, in a manner similar to that employed for functionalization of other carbon surfaces. A variety of diazonium salts have been used, including those that provide moieties conducive to further elaboration after attachment to the nanotubes.