Functionalised Conjugates Materials as Building Blocks of Electronic Nanostructures

DIEGO F. ACEVEDO; JUAN BALACH; CLAUDIA RIVAROLA; MARÍA C. MIRAS; CÉSAR A. BARBERO

FARADAY DISCUSSIONS

Royal society of chemistry

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2006 vol. 131 p. 235 - 252

1359-6640

Two different approaches towards conjugated material (carbon nanotubes, conjugated polymers) functionalisation are presented: covalent bonding of functional groups and non covalent interaction with soluble polymers. Covalent functionalisation of carbon nanotubes is made by reaction of the aromatic ring with aryl radicals, produced by reduction of diazonium ions. In the case of conducting polymers, covalent functionalisation is brought about by reaction of polyanilines with diazotized aromatic amines (including amino terminated azo dyes). The non covalent functionalisation of carbon nanotubes is made by wrapping the nanotubes with soluble conducting polyanilines. The functionalised materials are characterised by FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering, ultraviolet-visible absorption and emission spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, differential electrochemical mass spectroscopy and conductivity measurements. The materials are used to build ionic self assembled multilayers using a layer-by-layer deposition process. The charge transport and electrocatalytic behaviour of the assemblies, relevant to the application of the assemblies in nanostructured electrochemical biosensors, are evaluated using different redox molecules and/or its intrinsic electroactivity as probes.