Arylcarbonylated Vapor-Grown Carbon Nanofibers

Assignee The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force (Washington, DC) 

There is a continuing need for achieving a good dispersion of single-wall carbon nanotubes to ensure high performance of these materials. To address this concern, dispersed carbonyl-functionalized nanoscale mbes have been prepared by reacting 4-(2,4,6-trimethylphenoxy)benzoic acid with vapor-grown carbon nanofibers in the presence of polyphosphoric acid. 

A 250-ml round-bottomed flask was charged with 2,4,6-trimethylphenol (44.1 mmol), 4-fluoro-benzonitrile (44.1 mmol), potassium carbonate (52.8 mmol), and a mixture of 100 ml NMP and 60 ml of toluene and then heated to 140°C for 8 hours. The mixture was filtered, the filtrate poured into 5% hydrochloric acid, and the organic and aqueous layers separated. The organic layer was diluted with CH2CI2 and concentrated. After the light brown oily residue was freeze-dried, the product was isolated in 97% yield. 

A reaction flask was charged with the Step 1 product (42.0 mmol) and 100 ml of phosphoric acid and heated to 150°C for 8 hours the mixture was then poured into 5% hydrochloric acid. The resulting precipitate was collected, dried, and dissolved in warm heptane. The filtrate was cooled to ambient temperature, and the product was isolated in 42% yield as a white solid, MP = 236-238°C. 

Functionalization of Vapor-Grown Carbon Nanofiber with 4-(2,4,6-Trimethylphenoxy)Benzoic Acid 

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Title Arylcarbonylated Vapor-Grown Carbon Nanofibers... 

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