An efficient and mild carboxylation of multiwall carbon nanotubes using H2O2 in the presence of heteropolyacid

A clean, fast, and facile oxidation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by H2O2/heteropolyacid (H3PW12O40) gave highly carboxylated MWCNTs under mild conditions, at a conveniently accessible temperature. After an easy workup, the product was characterized by SEM, XRD, and FT-IR.