Aqueous dispersion of single walled carbon nanotubes stabilized by PEG modified diperylene bisimide and their application as an antibacterial agent

Abstract

Polyethylene glycol modified diperylene bisimide (PEG-diPBI) was synthesized and applied to disperse single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in water. The aqueous dispersion efficiency of PEG-diPBI on SWCNTs is investigated by UV-vis, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. It is found that the enhanced dispersing capability of PEG-diPBI can be attributed to the diperylene aromatic core, which can strongly interact with SWCNT via synergistic π-π and hydrophobic interactions. The dispersing solution properties are closely related to the hydrophilic part of PEG-diPBI. Moreover, the well-dispersed SWCNTs show excellent antibacterial activities.