Covalent surface entanglement of polyvinylidene fluoride membranes with carbon nanotubes

Abstract Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes play a key role in several industrial applications. Tuning the properties of these membranes enables a sharp selectivity for the target application. The goal of this work is to chemically bind carbon nanotubes (CNT) onto the surface of PVDF membranes. Such membranes can open the door for a variety of new applications. To achieve this binding, the PVDF membrane was first functionalized with a labile OH group. This functionalization was accomplished using a Piranha-reaction approach. The OH group was then substituted with an amine group. Single walled, highly conductive carbon nanotubes were then covalently attached to the amine functionalized PVDF membrane. The properties of the membrane were evaluated and characterized using a wide range of tools. Extensive physicochemical, structural and surface characterizations of the prepared membranes were conducted utilizing goniometric, microscopic, surface and spectroscopic methods. The conductive CNTs were observed to alter the electrical properties of the polymer creating a conductive polymer membrane.