Microwave-assisted cross-coupling synthesis of aryl functionalized MWCNTs and investigation of hydrogen storage properties

Abstract

In recent years, nanostructures have attracted the attention of many scientists due to their unique properties. Many properties of nanostructures can be improved by changing the surface. For this purpose, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were covalently modified using Suzuki-cross coupling reactions with microwave-assisted synthesis. First, the MWCNTs were brominated. Aryl functionalized MWCNTs were synthesized from the reaction of brominated MWCNTs with aryl boronic acid derivatives in the presence of palladium catalyst. Synthesized compounds were characterized by the techniques of Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Thermogravimetric Analysis and Transmission Electron Microscopy. The hydrogen storage properties of the synthetic compounds were determined. The example with the highest hydrogen storage capacity was N2 and its hydrogen storage capacity was determined as 0.45 wt%. The hydrogen storage capacity of functionalized MWCNTs was consistent with the results of carbon nanomaterials in the literature.

Keywords:

• MWCNT
• aryl-MWCNT
• microwave-assisted synthesis
• Suzuki cross-coupling reaction
• surface modification
• hydrogen storage

Disclosure statement

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgements

In this study, both Baki Çiçek and Ümit Çalışır designed the study, performed all experiments/analysis, and evaluated the results and prepared the manuscript. Mehmet Doğan performed Hydrogen Storage experiments. A part of this study was presented as a PhD thesis and Baki Çiçek was the supervisor of Ümit Çalışır.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Balikesir University Scientific Research Grant [number BAP:2019/066 and BAP:2020/053].