Preparation of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-terminated carbon nanotubes and determining their aggregation properties in response to infrared light and heating

In this work, we newly prepared the multi-walled carbon nanotube (MCNT)-grafted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) on their termini. After grafting PNIPAM, MCNTs dispersed well into water. In addition, the synthesized PNIPAM-terminated MCNTs (PNIPAM-MCNTs) were blended with poly(vinylalcohol) (PVA), and a hybrid film was prepared. The hybrid film showed bending actuation in response to infrared laser due to the heat generated by MCNTs.