Amphiphilic Fluorinated Block Copolymer Synthesized by RAFT Polymerization for Graphene Dispersions

Despite the superior properties of graphene, the strong π–π interactions among pristine graphenes yielding massive aggregation impede industrial applications. For non-covalent functionalization of highly-ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), poly(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(4-vinyl pyridine) (PTFEMA-b-PVP) block copolymers were prepared by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and used as polymeric dispersants in liquid phase exfoliation assisted by ultrasonication. The HOPG graphene concentrations were found to be 0.260–0.385 mg/mL in methanolic graphene dispersions stabilized with 10 wt % (relative to HOPG) PTFEMA-b-PVP block copolymers after one week. Raman and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses revealed that HOPG could not be completely exfoliated during the sonication. However, on-line turbidity results confirmed that the dispersion stability of HOPG in the presence of the block copolymer lasted for one week and that longer PTFEMA and PVP blocks led to better graphene dispersibility. Force–distance (F–d) analyses of AFM showed that PVP block is a good graphene-philic block while PTFEMA is methanol-philic.