Polymer materials are increasingly used in all spheres of human activity. Today, it is difficult to imagine our life without the use of polymer products. Polymers have played a crucial role in the development of many industries and, of course, can be considered as one of the main drivers of technological progress. The research on the creation of new polymer materials that are obtained by modifying known polymers with various fillers, including nanomaterials, is widespread nowadays. In the foreseeable future, the time will come for modified polymer composites, when up to 75% of all things and materials that surround us will contain nano-additives. Due to their unique properties, these polymer compounds are in demand not only in industry and in everyday life, but also in medicine. One well-known nanomaterial is carbon nanotubes. The existing applications of nanotubes are almost limitless. Using them as modifying additives, it is possible to improve the properties of almost all known materials: polymers, alloys, plastics, rubbers, concretes, etc. In this review paper, the well-known polymer polypropylene and carbon nanotubes are selected as the main subjects of this study. This choice is due to their high demand in medicine, electronics, construction, etc.

This article discusses the possibility of the fabrication of a highly sensitive sensor based on single-walled carbon nanotubes surface modified with functional amino groups (-NH₂). The sensor potential for detection of alkali (sodium, lithium, and potassium) metals was investigated. The results of computer simulation of the interaction process between the sensor and an arbitrary surface of the modified tube containing atoms of the studied metals are presented. The calculations were carried out within the framework of the density functional theory (DFT) method using the molecular cluster model. It has been proved that surface-modified ammonium carbon nanotubes show high sensitivity for the metal atoms under study.

Composite polymer materials have high strength and lightness, which makes them attractive for use in a variety of structures and products. The present article contains an overview of modern works devoted to the production of composite materials based on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with improved characteristics. The possibility of obtaining such materials can be a key area for creating more efficient and durable products in various industries. Various methods were considered to improve the characteristics of PMMA by doping the polymer matrix with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphite, nanohydroxyapatite particles, micro-zirconia nanoparticles, titanium dioxide, etc. The possibilities of using the obtained composite materials in various industries such as aviation, automotive, construction, medical and others are discussed. This article also presents the results of our own research on the mechanisms of interaction of PMMA with single-layer CNTs, leading to the creation of a composite polymer system “PMMA+CNT”, achieved using the modern quantum chemical method DFT. This article presents a review of the recent research on the effect of CNTs on the mechanical and electrically conductive properties of nanocomposite materials. The outcomes of this study can be important for the development of science and technology in various fields, from fundamental chemistry to applied scientific research.

The mechanisms of sorption of H, O, C, and Cl atoms on the surface of a single-layer carbon tubelene are studied, and a comparison is made with the case of sorption of these atoms on graphite. Three v