p -Amino phenol immobilized on multi-walled carbon nanotubes for the preparation of chitosan nanocomposites

Novel nanocomposites of chitosan and p-amino phenol functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (chitosan/multi-walled carbon nanotube–p-amino phenol nanocomposites) were synthesized by solution casting method. The resulting chitosan/multi-walled carbon nanotube–p-amino phenol nanocomposites were characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. The effects of multi-walled carbon nanotubes–p-amino phenol content on the structure, morphology, and thermal properties, as well as the mechanical properties of the nanocomposite films, were studied. The presence of the p-amino phenol functional moieties helped to improve the dispersion and compatibility of the multi-walled carbon nanotubes in the chitosan matrix. The results showed that the low multi-walled carbon nanotubes–p-amino phenol content leads to increasing in the mechanical and thermal properties of chitosan.