Fabrication of stimuli responsive and conducting polymeric nanotubes by chemical vapor deposition: loading/release and sensor studies

Official URL: http://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b1640308 (Table of Contents)

Nanostructures have been the great candidates for many engineering applications due to their unique physical properties, for example; high surface to volume ratio compared to bulk structures. Integration of distinct polymer systems to nanostructures of different shapes, i.e nanofibers, nanorods, nanotubes or nanospheres, has enabled researchers to obtain various functional surfaces with the characteristic advantages of these nanostructures. In this study, we separately present the hard-templated nanotube fabrication of single and coaxial stimuli responsive and conducting polymer for drug delivery and humidity sensors application. Nanotubes of stimuli responsive polymers, poly(methacrylic acid) p(MAA) , poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) p(NIPAAm) and poly(hydroxyethylmethacrlyate) p(HEMA), are achieved by initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) technique whereas conducting polymer nanotubes, polyaniline (PANI), are fabricated via oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD). The loadingrelease capacity and kinetics of single and coaxial stimuli responsive polymeric nanotubes are investigated by monitoring UV-VIS intensity change of model dye molecule, phloroglucinol (Phl). The sensor sensitivity of conducting polymeric nanotubes is studied by analyzing conductivity change of nanotubes under various humid conditions. Furthermore, iCVD and oCVD polymers, which are respectively pHEMA and PANI in this thesis, are combined for coaxial nanotube fabrication in order to enhance the sensitivity of humidity sensors.