A facile approach to synthesize poly(4-vinylpyridine)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes nanocomposites: highly water-dispersible carbon nanotubes decorated with gold nanoparticles

A facile approach to attach high-density and uniform gold nanoparticles on individual multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) is achieved. By simple grinding, water-soluble linear polymers poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PVP)-wrapped around nanotubes and thus rendered them reversibly soluble in water, ethanol, and DMF. Individual tubes are clearly observed after PVP-wrapped nanotubes were spin-coated onto a silicon wafer. Subsequently, Au nanoparticles were densely decorated on the individual MWNTs by in situ reduction of HAuCl4 in the homogeneous aqueous solution of MWNTs-PVP to form stable water-dispersible Au/PVP/MWNTs hybrid. Morphology of Au nanoparticles was determined by scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope. The diameter of the Au nanoparticles is controlled in the range of 3.5 to 13.5 nm. The presence of gold nanoparticles with decreased particle size was also detected by UV-Vis spectroscopy.