DEPENDENCE OF THE AGGREGATION LEVEL OF CARBON NANOTUBES ON THE EFFICIENCY OF THEIR COVALENT FUNCTIONALIZATION

A quantitative measure of the efficiency of chemical functionalization of carbon nanotubes is proposed. The dependence of the indicated efficiency on the structure of carbon nanotubes, which is formed in the polymer matrix of the nanocomposite, is shown. Thus, in the region of the percolation threshold of carbon nanotubes, the structural transition of carbon nanotubes in the polymer matrix to a continuous framework of nanotubes begins, which sharply reduces the efficiency of functionalization. This parameter has a decisive effect on the properties of nanocomposites through change in their structure (for example, the content of interfacial regions), and, consequently, the degree of aggregation of the nanofiller depends on it.