FUNCTIONALIZED NANOMATERIALS: SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND APPLICATIONS

Due to their unique electronic, optical, catalytic and mechanical properties, nanomaterials (nanoparticles and nanotubes) have been attracting much attention over the past decades. In this dissertation, polymeric nanoparticles bearing derivatized D-mannose and galactose molecules were prepared via dispersion polymerization and their interactions with various bacterial cells were studied. The results show that there are strong adhesin-specific interactions of the nanoparticles with E. coli cells, resulting significant nanoparticles-madiated cell agglutination. Poly(ethylene glycol)-coated magnetic polymer nanoparticles were synthesized through miniemulsion polymerization by using macromonomer as both a comonomer and a surfactant. The resulting magnetic polymer nanoparticles were successfully used for bio-detection and as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. The functionalization of carbon nanomaterials was also studied. Carbon nanotubes and vapor grown carbon nanofibers (VGCFs) were functionalized and solubilized with nylon 6 by using the grafting-from strategy in a two-step process. These nylon functionalized carbon nanomaterials were systematically characterized and used for the fabrication of polymer/carbon composite fibers by electrospinning method