Preparation and characterization of silver nanoparticles immobilized on multi-walled carbon nanotubes by poly(dopamine) functionalization

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) functionalized with poly(dopamine) (PDA) were found to cause the immobilization of silver nanoparticles on the surface. The PDA functional layer not only improved the dispersion of MWNTs in aqueous solution, but also was used as a platform for subsequent silver nanoparticle immobilization. The surface morphology of the functionalized MWNTs was observed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that PDA layers with controlled thickness on the nanometer scale were formed on MWNT surfaces by in situ spontaneous oxidative polymerization of dopamine, and that high-density of homogeneously dispersed spherical silver nanoparticles with sizes of 3–4 nm were immobilized on their outer surface. The space between spherical silver nanoparticles is less than 10 nm. Both X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction results showed that the Ag nanoparticles on the surface of hybrids exist in the zero valent state.