Concise route to functionalized carbon nanotubes

A concise route to functionalize carbon nanotubes via the esterification reaction of the carboxylate salt of carbon nanotubes and alkyl halides in the presence of a phase-transfer reagent in water is developed. The series of functionalized chemical functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) obtained are determined and analyzed by FT-IR, 1H NMR, TEM, and TGA techniques.