University of Groningen
New hybrid functional materials based on carbon: synthesis, characterization and
study of properties
Zygouri, Panagiota
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Publication date:
2016
Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database
Citation for published version (APA):
Zygouri, P. (2016). New hybrid functional materials based on carbon: synthesis, characterization and study
of properties [Groningen]: University of Groningen
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Summary
Carbon is an element with the ability to form a variety of allotropes. The
allotropes differ in the way the atoms bond with each other and arrange
themselves into a structure. The different structures give rise to the allotropes’
different chemical and physical properties. Appropriate functionalization of
these structures with a plethora of chemical reactions leads to the creation of
new materials with improved properties and render them useful for multiple
applications. The aim of this PhD thesis was to synthesize and develop novel
hybrid functional materials based on graphite and fullerenes, to study their
properties and to investigate their use in various applications on these
properties.
Chapter 3 constitutes an overview of various theoretical and experimental
studies about the interactions of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with
graphene sheets. In these works efforts were made to clarify the role of PAHs
in the development of new composites for a plenty of applications such as in
electronic, sensing and biomedical devices. Because PAHs and their
metabolites are mutagenic and carcinogenic, most of the studies focused on the
elimination of PAHs’ toxicity with the help of nanomaterials, e.g. based on
graphene.
In chapter 4 we present for the first time the successful chemical oxidation
of buckminsterfullerene (C60) based on the well-known Staudenmaier method,
producing what is called oxidized fullerenes. This facile and reproducible
approach creates oxygen functional groups, like epoxy and hydroxyl groups on
the surface of the fullerene, which make this material highly soluble in polar
solvents such as water. An important advantage of this method consists in the
presence of epoxy groups that allow for further functionalization. In this thesis,
oxidized fullerenes were modified with
a primary aliphatic amine
(octadecylamine) thus generating a new fullerene derivative. The hydrophilic
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character of these materials potentially renders them ideal for a plethora of
applications, for example in medicinal chemistry and biochemistry.
Chapter 5 describes the chemical oxidation of carbon nanodiscs (oxCNDs),
which were industrially produced via the so-called pyrolytic Kværner Carbon
Black & H2 process. The facile, versatile and reproducible oxidation procedure
was based on the Staudenmaier method. The result of the oxidation treatment
was
firstly
the
separation
of
carbon
nanodiscs
from
the
mixed
nanodiscs/nanocones/soot starting material and secondly the attachment of
oxygen-containing functional groups (epoxy, hydroxyl and carboxyl groups) on
their surface, improving their solubility in polar solvents (e.g. water). The
obtained material was characterized by many characterization techniques,
which confirmed the successful oxidation and provided information about the
morphology. The investigation their potential for bioapplications demonstrated
that oxidized nanodiscs can act as cytotoxic agent and as supports for
nanobiocatalytic systems.
Chapter 6 we report the intercalation of Ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug, into graphite oxide and into two its derivatives, namely
sulfonated and carboxylated graphene oxide. The aim of this project was to
study the efficacy of these three nanomaterials as delivery systems of
Ibuprofen. The adsorption of the drug into carbon carriers was quantified and
the release of Ibuprofen in simulated gastric and intestinal fluid determined.
The results show that the release in gastric fluid takes place more gradually
than in intestinal fluid and promise well for these nanomaterials’ potential to
eliminate the drug’s side effects in the stomach.
Chapter 7 gives an overview of four published studies. More specifically, we
describe in detail the electrical conductivity, as a function of temperature of
different fullerene derivatives. For this purpose, polybrominated fullerenes
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(C60Br6), polyhydroxylated fullerenes [C60(OH)24] and sodium fullerene salt
(C60O24Na24) were synthesized and studied.
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