The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 16, 2009
Filed:
Jul. 09, 2007
Jian Chen, Richardson, TX (US);
Haiying Liu, Houghton, MI (US);
Jian Chen, Richardson, TX (US);
Haiying Liu, Houghton, MI (US);
Zyvex Performance Materials, Inc., Columbus, OH (US);
University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
A new, non-wrapping approach to functionalizing nanotubes, such as carbon nanotubes, in organic and inorganic solvents is provided. In accordance with certain embodiments, carbon nanotube surfaces are functionalized in a non-wrapping fashion by functional conjugated polymers that include functional groups. Various embodiments provide polymers that noncovalently bond with carbon nanotubes in a non-wrapping fashion. For example, various embodiments of polymers are provided that comprise a relatively rigid backbone that is suitable for noncovalently bonding with a carbon nanotube substantially along the nanotube's length, as opposed to about its diameter. In preferred polymers, the major interaction between the polymer backbone and the nanotube surface is parallel π-stacking. In certain implementations, the polymers further comprise at least one functional extension from the backbone that are any of various desired functional groups for functionalizing a carbon nanotube.