Functionalization of carboxylated multiwall nanotubes with imidazole derivatives and their toxicity investigations.

Imidazoles and their derivatives are compounds with chemotherapeutic applications. In this study, we investigated the chemical functionalization of carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT-COOH) by 1,2-phenylendiamine. Multiwalled nanotube (MWNT)-benzimidazole was obtained by an MWNT-amide reaction with POCl(3) after 72 hours, which was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, and elemental analysis. These functionalizations were chosen due to -NH(2) and NHCO active sites in MWNT-amide for future application. Toxicity assays with fibroblast cells and MTT test for measurement of viable cell numbers were also performed. Cellular results did not show any toxicity change in modified samples from that of the reference samples.