Homogenous thin layer coated graphene via one pot reaction with multidentate thiolated PMMAs

Abstract

A novel strategy for the covalent coverage of the graphene surface with brush-like PMMA-SH or multidentate P(MMA-co-SEMA) copolymers by the thiol-ene click reaction is reported. The new graphene@polymer materials were characterized by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and AFM, TEM and SEM. AFM images and 2D Raman mapping of the D/G ratio of CVD-graphene covered with brush and multidentate polymers clearly illustrated a more homogeneous modification in the case of the latter. The multidentate-copolymer forms a thin layer covering the graphene surface, contrary to the case for typical polymer brushes. It also displays good conductivity values on the order of the initial unmodified graphene material suggesting that the covalent modification with the polymer is not detrimental to the sp2 network. A conductivity of ∼2 × 10-3 S cm-1 was achieved in a graphene-based PMMA nanocomposite using graphene@P(MMA-co-SEMA) as a filler, highlighting the importance of engineering the graphene-polymer interface through multidentate copolymer functionalization of graphene. © 2014 The Royal Society of Chemistry.