Functionalisation and Characterisation of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes for Development of Electro-Chemical Sensors

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are allotropes of carbon. Carbon nanotubes are of two types: (SWCNTs) Single-walled carbon nanotubes and (MWCNTs) Multiple-walled carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes exhibit high electrical, structural and mechanical properties. These properties make them highly promising for the construction of new functional materials. Synthesis of MWCNT's was done by Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) method. The MWCNT's was characterised by Zeta potential, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Further MWCNT's was acid treated (H2SO4:HNO3) for their functionalization. The functionalized MWCNT's was characterised by Zeta potential and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The Zeta potential of MWCNT's and functionalized MWCNT's reveals that the stability of MWCNT's increases after functionalisation i.e. -23.5mV to -35.2mV. TEM and SEM explains the tube structure of carbon nanotubes, size and there agglomeration properties. Carbon nanotubes tends to form bundles, hence their stability is low. FTIR shows the types of chemical bonds present in functionalised MWCNT's.