| Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) technique was used to adsorb 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) on platinum electrodes, in order to obtain an amino-terminated SAM as the base for the attachment of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Previously purified SWNTs were oxidized with strong acids to obtain open ended nanotubes terminated with carboxylic acid groups. These acid-treated SWNTs were attached, by a condensation reaction, to the amino terminated SAM. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy characterization was employ to follow SWNTs functionalization throughout purification and acid-treatment processes. The characterization of SWNTs attached over modified Pt electrodes was performed using reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIR), XPS, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results obtained suggest the successful attachment of SWNTs through the formation of amide bonds between SWNTs and the amino-terminated SAM. |
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